Andy Burnham urged to set up ‘war register’ of civilian volunteers as WW3 fears explode

Andy Burnham has been urged to establish an emergency register of civilian volunteers who could be called upon if Britain comes under attack. The Liberal Democrats have called for the creation of a formal network of civilians willing to assist in the event of a major emergency or attack on the UK. The party’s defence spokesperson said the UK “urgently” needed this network and also called on politicians to be “more direct” with the public concerning the dangers facing the UK.

The proposed register would allow people to voluntarily put their names forward to help during a crisis. A Liberal Democrat spokesperson said: “Countries like Finland and others already have these kind of registers out there, and I think it’s something a lot of people would be very willing to sign up to if we gave them the option.” The proposal comes as NATO continues to strengthen its defences along its eastern flank, while senior European figures have warned that Russia‘s increasingly confrontational actions could create further risks for NATO members.

The Liberal Democrats have also argued for the creation of a new position of Civilian Readiness Secretary saying the UK should do more to organise non-military resources before a crisis develops.

The proposal comes against a backdrop of heightened concern across Europe about Russia’s actions. NATO says Russia’s war against Ukraine and hostile activities affecting Allied countries have changed Europe’s security environment.

French President Emmanuel Macron has also warned that the threat of attacks by Russia against Europe and France has intensified.

Macron said last week: “In recent weeks, the threat — particularly the Russian hybrid threat — facing Europeans and France has intensified.”