UK spy and military chiefs give threat assessment in ‘age of uncertainty’
Head of MI6 says ‘we are now operating in a space between peace and war’, as defence chief urges ‘whole nation’ prepare for evolving threats
The new head of Britain’s armed forces warned on Monday that “more” Britons will need to be ready to fight for their country due to an increasingly dangerous world.
Richard Knighton’s comments came as the UK’s new MI6 spy chief said separately that Russia had propelled the globe into an “age of uncertainty”.
“The situation is more dangerous than I have known during my career and the response requires more than simply strengthening our armed forces,” Knighton said in a speech.
“A new era for defence doesn’t just mean our military and government stepping up - as we are - it means our whole nation stepping up.”
Knighton, chief of the defence staff since September, made his plea during an address at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), a think tank specialising in defence.