What is conscription? We take a look as army general says civilians should prepare for war

We're going to talk about conscription for the next minute or so and explore exactly what it means, after the head of the British Army suggested that similar measures may be required in the future should we go to war with Russia. Here's everything you need to know.

General Sir Patrick Sanders is the head of the British Army. He recently said that UK citizens should be trained and equipped in order to be prepared for a potential conflict with Russia. This has led to some concerns that what the general was suggesting was conscription, similar to what was seen in the world wars.

So what is conscription and how does it work? Well conscription is when the government orders citizens to join the forces during wartime. The measure is usually written into law, making it a requirement to answer the call. During the first and second world wars, men aged between eighteen and forty one were conscripted.

Some were exempt from conscription, including those who were medically unfit or those who worked in key industries such as farming, medicine and engineering. The government has said in response to Sanders' comments that it has no plans to implement the measures.