“Be Ready” campaign – why preparedness should be a political issue

Professor Harry Pitts says the “Be Ready” campaign is a positive first step in making preparedness a political issue, but argues that public discussion must be matched by action. He questions whether the proposed three-year programme is fast enough given growing global threats.

Commenting on the “Be Ready” campaign, Professor Harry Pitts, Director of the University of Exeter Centre for the Public Understanding of Defence and Security, said:

‘It is positive step that the Prime Minister is playing a part in opening up preparedness as a political issue. Be Ready represents an early tentative step in the direction of the national conversation on defence and security. But the issue is whether conversation alone is enough and whether it needs to be supported by action.

“There is an opportunity to put this in terms of a broader process of participation in the country’s protection and a project of national renewal based on making us stronger, safer and more secure.

“There are plans for this to be a programme over three years to engage the public in these conversations to project outward to the world at large that Britain is ready to defend itself and withstand threats from our adversaries. The question is whether this is a quick enough time frame given that the world is not waiting in becoming more dangerous.”