What would happen if the UK came under armed attack from Russia? In The Wargame — a powerful new podcast by Sky News and Tortoise Media — that chilling question is explored through the eyes of a fictional wartime government featuring real-world former ministers, military chiefs, and subject-matter experts.
Among them is General Sir Richard Barrons KCB CBE, Co-Chair of Universal Defence and Security Solutions, who steps into the critical role of Chief of the Defence Staff, leading the UK’s military response to escalating hybrid threats and full-scale conflict.
Presented by Deborah Haynes, Sky News’ Security and Defence Editor, the five-part series imagines a realistic near-future scenario in which power cuts, cyberattacks, and disinformation campaigns give way to open hostilities. It’s a sobering and high-stakes simulation designed to expose the UK’s preparedness—or lack thereof—for war in a world where alliances shift and traditional assumptions no longer hold.
In the podcast, General Barrons brings the full weight of his military experience to the fictional Cobra war cabinet. His role is not to entertain but to provide a grounded, professional assessment of what the Armed Forces could and could not do in a crisis of such scale. Listeners hear him wrestle with urgent questions of mobilisation, readiness, alliance support, and strategic deterrence—set against the very real limitations facing UK defence today.
“The Wargame reflects many of the conversations taking place quietly in defence circles,” said General Barrons. “It asks the public to consider: If the unthinkable happened, are we truly prepared? And if not, what must we do now to ensure we are?”
The series underscores a harsh reality. Since the end of the Cold War, successive governments have reduced the UK’s military capability while adversaries have become bolder and more technologically advanced. The Wargame makes that vulnerability clear—not through speculation, but through informed, professional analysis and dramatic storytelling grounded in fact.
It also explores the breakdown of global alliances, with a newly-isolationist United States offering little reassurance. The UK, faced with a devastating attack and few options, must decide between surrender, escalation, or an unthinkable third path. As Chief of Defence Staff, Barrons’ character is at the heart of those impossible decisions.
UDSS is proud that its Co-Chair has contributed to a national conversation about resilience, readiness, and responsibility in a world that is increasingly volatile. Through The Wargame, General Barrons doesn’t just role-play a hypothetical scenario—he provides insight into what strategic leadership under pressure really looks like.
Listen to the full podcast series and discover how decisions at the very top could shape the fate of the nation:
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UDSS brings together former senior military commanders, government officials, diplomats, and industry experts to deliver insight and solutions to defence, security and geopolitical challenges. Get in toucb via info@universal-defence.com