The Tories have proposed that all 18-year-olds would carry out “national service” in the event of winning July’s general election. The scheme includes 30,000 selective military placements where volunteers would undertake full-time work for a year in cyber security, logistics, or civil response operations. Everyone else would do one weekend a month or 25 days in non-military organisations, including with the fire service, police, and NHS or with charities. Though the plans will receive £1.5bn from the shared prosperity fund – scheme introduced by the UK government to distribute funds after Brexit, Plaid Cymru and Labour have criticised the scheme.
Wales Office Minister Fay Jones defended the initiative by stating that the concept proves that they are “investing in their young people”. She also added that she had many young people who were interested in playing their part in serving their country. Although Labour’s Nick Thomas criticised the plan as an “ill thought-out, back of the envelope policy”, Liz Saville Roberts from Plaid Cymru, said that the money from the Shared Prosperity Fund should be spending more strategically, with the Welsh government and Senedd deciding where it goes. Saville Roberts also called for a discussion on Brexit, saying “The evidence is clear: Brexit isn’t working. It has caused inflation to skyrocket, import costs to surge, and critical sectors like the NHS, hospitality, and tourism, to suffer from severe worker shortages.”
Ms Jones said, “I think investing in them, providing them with opportunities, ways to volunteer or serve their military, as so many people want to do, I think that’s something that everyone across Wales will welcome.” The plans suggested by the Tories have sparked controversy among the Welsh, who seem to be divided in their view on Brexit. Hence, Ms. Saville Roberts has urged that money from the shared prosperity fund should be spent more strategically, adding that Brexit is damaging the economy
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More