Rishi Sunak National Service Plan: Ex-PM Calls for ‘Resilience Corps’ After Cyberattacks
Former prime minister Rishi Sunak has renewed his call for a new model of national service, arguing that Britain needs a universal “resilience corps” to face cyberattacks on supermarkets, schools and transport. Writing in The Sunday Times on Sunday 8 November 2026, Sunak said stockpiling tinned goods under the government’s “Be Ready” scheme would not be enough on its own. His intervention revives a proposal first made during the 2024 general election campaign, when it was widely mocked.
Sunak, who served as prime minister from 2022 to 2024, pointed to repeated cyberattacks on European supermarkets, where fridges and freezers were remotely set to 50C so food would spoil. He also cited bomb threats against planes and attacks on schools and online services as evidence that hostile states are probing civilian life as well as military targets. The former prime minister said defence spending alone would not stop a supermarket fridge from being hacked or limit the damage when it happens.
Rishi Sunak National Service: Quick Reference Summary
| Detail | What is known |
|---|---|
| Who | Rishi Sunak, former prime minister (2022–2024) |
| What | Call for a new, universal model of national service built around a “resilience corps” |
| When | Column published in The Sunday Times on 8 November 2026; coverage followed on 9 November 2026 |
| Where | United Kingdom-wide proposal |
| Why | Cyberattacks on European supermarkets, bomb threats on planes, attacks on schools and online |
| Government position | The “Be Ready” scheme encourages Britons to stockpile essential goods |
| Options proposed | Selective military cadre; search and rescue; St John Ambulance; Meals on Wheels; cybersecurity training |
| Scale noted | Armed forces cannot train more than 800,000 18-year-olds |
| European examples | France and Germany taking steps towards new schemes; Sweden’s military and civilian schemes highly prized |
| Compulsory or voluntary | Not specified in the column |
Supermarket Fridges Set to 50C: The Attacks Behind the Call
Sunak opened his column with a blunt image: “Fridges are the new front line.” He described repeated cyberattacks on European supermarkets in which thermostats were remotely set to 50C so that food spoils, calling the pattern part of Russia’s grey-zone activities. The attacks fit a wider picture of hostile probing that does not distinguish between civilian and military targets, he argued.
The National Cyber Security Centre’s Annual Review 2026, published on 3 November, puts the scale of the threat in numbers. It estimates that malicious cyber activity costs UK organisations about £14.7 billion every year. The centre handled 80 nationally significant incidents in the year to August 2026, down from 204 the year before, and rates an AI-powered ransomware attack on UK critical national infrastructure by 2028 as highly likely.
What Sunak’s Resilience Corps Would Ask Young People to Do
The proposed scheme would offer young people a choice of roles rather than putting every 18-year-old in uniform. A few might apply for a small, selective military cadre, while others serve with search and rescue, St John Ambulance or Meals on Wheels, and some train in areas such as cybersecurity. Sunak said the scheme should enhance resilience, strengthen society and remind people that citizenship brings responsibilities as well as rights.
He also argued that national service would make Britain more cohesive as well as more resilient, and would give young people training, experience and values. The column notes that his fee for writing it was donated to the Richmond Project, a charity supported by The Sunday Times.
Why the Armed Forces Cannot Take 800,000 Teenagers
Sunak acknowledged a practical limit raised when he first proposed national service as prime minister. The armed forces were quick to stress that such a scheme would not help them, because they do not have the capacity to take on and train more than 800,000 18-year-olds. His answer is an updated version of national service designed around civilian resilience rather than mass military training.
He pointed to other European countries as models. France and Germany are both taking steps towards new forms of national service, Sunak wrote, and he has just returned from Sweden, where places on both the military and civilian schemes are highly prized by teenagers and employers alike.
Stockpiling Versus Service: The Clash With the ‘Be Ready’ Scheme
Sunak’s sharpest criticism was aimed at the government’s “Be Ready” scheme, which encourages Britons to prepare and stockpile essential goods in case of an attack or disaster. He wrote that it would take more than well-stocked cupboards to meet the current moment, arguing that the country needs a culture change so people are more prepared for the challenges ahead.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s government introduced the stockpiling advice as part of its resilience planning. Sunak, who proposed a civilian and military national service model during the 2024 election campaign, conceded that the idea quickly became the butt of jokes at the time. He argued that the threats he saw as prime minister, including constant probing by Britain’s enemies, had convinced him a resilience corps would soon be needed.
What Happens Next for the National Service Debate
Sunak’s column does not propose legislation, and it does not set out whether participation in his universal scheme would be compulsory. The column is an argument for a debate rather than a draft law, and no government response had been published at the time of writing. Whether Labour adopts, adapts or rejects the idea will shape whether the proposal moves beyond commentary.
The timing keeps the issue live. With the National Cyber Security Centre warning of AI-powered ransomware within two years and supermarket cyberattacks already disrupting food supplies in Europe, the case for a civilian resilience corps is likely to return to Parliament and the airwaves. For now, Sunak has put national service back on the agenda, and the question is whether Britain’s political parties are willing to pick it up.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Rishi Sunak proposing?
Sunak proposes a new, universal model of national service built around a “resilience corps”, offering young people options including a small selective military cadre, search and rescue, St John Ambulance, Meals on Wheels and cybersecurity training.
What is a “resilience corps”?
It is Sunak’s term for a civilian-focused national service scheme designed to make Britain more prepared for cyberattacks, disasters and other threats that target everyday life, rather than a purely military programme.
Did Sunak propose national service before?
Yes. During the 2024 general election campaign he proposed a model encompassing civilian as well as military roles. He writes that the idea quickly became the butt of jokes at the time.
What is the government’s “Be Ready” scheme?
It is the government’s advice encouraging Britons to prepare and stockpile essential goods in case of an attack or disaster. Sunak argues stockpiling alone is not enough and says a culture change is needed.
Would Sunak’s national service be compulsory?
That is not publicly verified. The column describes the scheme as universal and offering options, but the excerpts published do not set out whether participation would be compulsory.
