Army chief urges politicians to openly discuss war sacrifices with the public

General Sir Roly Walker, the chief of the general staff, addressed roughly 700 soldiers at Catterick Garrison in North Yorkshire, stating that political leaders must soon engage in an honest conversation with the public about the sacrifices required to safeguard national defence. He highlighted the heightened geopolitical risk, pointing to Russia as a key driver of the threat environment, and warned that the UK could be called upon to fight on land.

Walker stressed that the heaviest burden would fall on junior and relatively inexperienced soldiers, making public consent and backing essential. His comments arrive amid scrutiny of Chancellor John Healey over a £5 billion shortfall in planned defence spending and Conservative demands to lift defence spending to 3 % of GDP by 2030. In parallel, Defence Secretary Wes Streeting called on citizens to prepare for emergencies by keeping cash, canned food and bottled water on hand. The statements underscore growing pressure on the UK government to address defence funding and public readiness.