Britain should consider adopting a Swedish-style conscription system, the former head of MI6 has said.

Sir Alex Younger said the UK needed to consider its approach to “the wider national engagement in emergencies”.

Sir Alex appeared on the Today Podcast with Nick Robinson on Tuesday (April 9) as tensions between Russia and the West continue to rise.

Sir Alex said: “I think we need to look at a model like Sweden, where in theory the government has the power to force people to provide services in a certain way, but will not exercise that power except in areas where there is a real need .”