‘We’re just not ready’: Veteran Mitch believes Britain is not prepared for war
Caller Mitch, a UK army veteran, explains the state of the UK military to Shelagh Fogarty, in the face of the army potentially recalling under-65s to serve.
| Updated: 16 Jan 2026
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The Government is set to increase the age at which Britain’s strategic reserve of retired troops can be called up from 55 to 65.
The new Armed Forces bill will be introduced to Parliament with the aim of making it easier to mobilise retired military personnel.
Under existing rules, the pool of retired soldiers can be called upon in the event of “national danger, great emergency or attack in the UK” however the new law will lower this threshold to “warlike preparations” which is the existing threshold for reservists who have recently left the armed forces.