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Andy Burnham should introduce national service in the UK, a Labour MP who heads a cross-party group on the armed forces has suggested. Ex-Royal Marine Alex Ballinger called for Britain to follow Finland’s example with a conscription system amid growing threats from Russia.

In Finland, all men aged between 18 and 60 must complete military or civilian service for up to 347 days. Mr Ballinger told a reception at the residence of the Finnish ambassador on Thursday: “There’s a national service setup in Finland, which I think, personally, I would love to have national service in the UK.

“But I think there’s a lot we can learn in the way you conscript people and get the whole of society behind it.”

In comments reported by The Telegraph, he said the UK should “learn some of the lessons” from Finland, which borders Russia.

Mr Ballinger, who chairs the all-party parliamentary group on the armed forces, added: “Those countries like Finland, that are literally sharing a border, have a much larger threat than we do.

“And I think we need to recognise that and we need to learn some of the lessons from the way you’ve been managing that threat over all of these years. I know you are doing things like shaping your infrastructure.”

Former Tory prime minister Rishi Sunak proposed compulsory national service in the 2024 General Election.

Under the plans, which were criticised by Labour, 18-year-olds would take part in military placements or community service.

It comes as the Government has launched a new campaign urging Britons to stockpile bottled water and tinned food in case of emergencies.