**UK "Rapidly Developing" Plans to Prepare for War, Armed Forces Minister Warns**

The UK is "rapidly developing" plans to prepare the entire country for the possible outbreak of war, according to the armed forces minister, Al Carns.

Speaking at a top-secret military spy base in Cambridgeshire, Mr. Carns highlighted the need for the public to understand their role in a major conflict, saying "armies, navies and air forces respond to crises but societies, industries and economies win wars."

The warning comes as hostile intelligence activity against the UK has jumped by more than 50% over the past year, with Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea suspected of being the main culprits.

"The shadow of war is knocking on Europe's door once more. That's the reality," Mr. Carns said. "We've got to be prepared to deter it."

The comments follow a warning from Mark Rutte, the head of NATO, who told allies that Europe must ready itself for a confrontation with Russia on the kind of scale "our grandparents and great-grandparents endured" - a reference to the First and Second World Wars.

**New Defence Counter-Intelligence Unit Launched**

In response to the growing threat, the government is launching a new defence counter-intelligence unit to bolster its ability to detect and disrupt intelligence operations by hostile states.

The Ministry of Defence is also enhancing its spying capabilities by combining various military intelligence branches across the army, navy, and air force into a new organisation called the Military Intelligence Services (MIS).

The "MI" initials are the same as in MI5 and MI6 - the UK's domestic and foreign intelligence agencies.

**Public Must Understand Their Role in War**

With France warning its people they may need to lose their children fighting a war with Russia, Sky News asked Mr. Carns whether he thought more needed to be done to inform the British public about the sacrifices they might be required to make in a war.

"There's a whole load of work going on now between us [Ministry of Defence], the Cabinet Office, and the whole of society approach, and what conflict means, and what everybody's role in society means if we were to go to war and the build up to war," Mr. Carns replied.

He continued: "Collectively, everybody - what is their role if we get caught in an existential crisis, and what do they need to be aware they need to do and what they can't do, and how do we mobilise the nation to support a military endeavour? Not just about deploying the military, but actually about protecting every inch of our own territory."

**A Comprehensive Plan for War?**

The UK used to have a comprehensive plan for the transition from peace to war, known as the Government War Book. Developed over decades, it included instructions for every part of society, from the army and police to schools, hospitals, and even art galleries.

However, this huge body of preparedness was quietly shelved following the end of the Cold War.

Mr. Carns's comments indicate that some kind of modern version of the doctrine could make a comeback.

**Communicating the Threat**

The armed forces minister acknowledged that many people in the UK do not see, hear or feel the dangers even as Russia's war in Ukraine rages on and impacts the cost of fuel.

"We've got to bring that home to make sure people understand, not to scare them, but to be realistic and understand where those threats are emanating from, and why defence and a whole society approach is so important," Mr. Carns said.