Government not doing enough to defend against security threats, survey finds
Four in five (82%) adults in Great Britain say the Government is not doing enough to prepare for future security threats and about three quarters (73%) believe a large-scale cyberattack on critical infrastructure is likely within five years, a survey has revealed.
Howver, just 28% think a full-scale invasion is likely.
The survey by Rand Europe and polling company Focaldata asked 1,505 adults questions such as how well informed they felt about the security threats currently facing the UK and which countries the UK should support militarily if they were attacked.
Those surveyed aged 55 and over were significantly more willing to defend other countries than their younger counterparts, with the US as the one exception, which saw a more equal response.
When asked who people would trust the most if a national emergency were to happen tomorrow, the Armed Forces got the top spot with 56% of those surveyed being confident in its response.
Of those results, more than 60% of people aged 18-34 were confident in how the military would respond in a crisis.
Interestingly, the second most popular response was "you, at a personal level", showing that people are more confident in their own strength in a crisis than national government or their local council.
When asked if the Government should spend more or less on defence, every age group supported an increase, but only 53% of 18–34-year-olds compared with 81% of the over 55s group.
However, there was no agreement on how to pay if the UK were to increase defence spending to the Nato target of 3.5% of GDP by 2035.
About one third (35%) said spending cuts elsewhere, 20% borrowing and 19% tax rises.
A voluntary national service for some 18-year-olds was supported by 58% of those surveyed but mandatory service and conscription was not popular, with 35% opposing mandatory service and 36% opposing conscription if the UK was attacked.
That figure went up to 39% opposing conscription if a Nato ally was attacked.
When asked to what extent those surveyed agree that the British public needs a more open and honest conversation about the security threats facing the country, three quarters (76%) of those surveyed agreed, with that figure increasing to 89% in the over 55s group and decreasing to 60% in the 18-34 group.
And, when it comes to choosing who would be the best person to encourage the public to take defence and preparedness seriously, the Chief of the Defence Staff scored highly with the over 55s but Prime Minister Andy Burnham was preferred by the other age groups surveyed.
However, when it came to finding out what would make people consider voting for Labour, defence spending wasn't a priority for those surveyed.
Bringing down energy and food costs, cutting NHS waiting lists and taxes on ordinary incomes were much higher on the priority list for people to consider voting for Labour.
The findings were presented at Rand Europe's Ready for 2030: How to accelerate UK Defence, which brought together senior policymakers, military leaders, industry representatives and researchers to discuss how the UK can strengthen its readiness for the possibility of major conflict by 2030.
Lord George Robertson, the lead reviewer of the UK's 2025 Strategic Defence Review and a former Nato secretary general, said: "The country's mindset will be hugely important to ensuring our future security.
"The Strategic Defence Review called for a national conversation on defence and security, but little has been done to get it started.
"We need an all-of-country approach that goes beyond defence, combining deterrence with greater national resilience.
"This must be a fundamental feature of the upcoming Defence Readiness Bill.
"With 1,000 days until 2030, we have an opportunity in time to make the country safer and better prepared."
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