As tensions between Russia and Europe continue to grow, many in the UK are growing wary of the potential return of conscription – but a historian has revealed three possible reasons why those who refuse would avoid prison.
There have only been two previous times when conscription was enforced in British history – from 1912-1916 and 1939-1960.
While both of those centred around World Wars I and II, Russia’s increasingly dangerous rhetoric over its war with Europe has got a number of people concerned that it might be implemented again. But historian and author David Swift believes there are three reasons why Brits who refuse wouldn’t be sent to jail.
(Image: Getty Images)
Speaking to the Express, he said: “I imagine it would be fines rather than imprisonment or anything like that.
“[This would be] due to: 1. Lack of prison capacity. 2. Difficulty enforcing and lack of legitimacy and 3. That ‘conscription’, if introduced, would be very much focused around monetary reward.”
Swift pointed to examples from other countries, including Greece, where people were fined around £5,213 (€6,000) for refusing to sign up, although the possible removal of this has recently been under discussion.
(Image: Getty Images)
Switzerland imposes an additional 3% tax for those who refuse military service for the duration of their mandatory training.
Mr Swift said: “In Switzerland, you have to pay an additional three per cent in taxes if you refuse military service for the duration of the time you were meant to be in military training.
“This way, the fines are severe enough so that they present a genuine disincentive not to serve (if it were only a few hundred quid you would have lots of people opting out), but not as severe as imprisonment.”
Tensions between Russia and Europe continue to ramp up, and Sergey Karaganov, head of Russia’s Council for Foreign and Defence Policy, recently spoke to American conservative commentator Tucker Carlson to warn the West what would happen if Russia suffered ‘defeat’.
Karaganov said: “What is defeat of Russia? If Russia comes ever close to a defeat, that would mean that Russia now would use nuclear weapons and Europe would be finished physically.
“So I mean, it’s simply impossible even to think about it, but they have been talking because they need a war to rationalise their stay in power, to rationalise their existence.
“Everybody in the world now laughs at Europe, which used to be, by the way, one of the core centres of world power. Now it’s a joke. And of course, I am not speaking of all Europe. We know that there are decent Europeans. There are smart Europeans.”
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