The Conservative Party has proposed a mandatory national service plan that requires 18-year-olds to participate in military or civilian service if they win the UK general election on July 4. The plan aims to develop young people’s skills and create a culture of service that fosters social cohesion, strengthening the country’s security and resilience in an uncertain and dangerous world. While the Home Secretary James Cleverly said no teens would be sent to prison for avoiding national service, Tory deputy chairman James Daly stated there would be some form of sanction for non-participants.
Singer-songwriter James Blunt, who served in the British Army and was an officer during the Kosovo War, believes that understanding a bit about serving the community is an excellent concept. Although Blunt thinks the plan won’t happen, he says it’s not a bad idea. In contrast, former military chief Lord Houghton called the plan “bonkers,” criticizing the Tories’ inability to answer how they would enforce it.
The proposed plan has received criticism from Tim Burgess, the frontman of The Charlatans, and political commentator and journalist Owen Jones. According to Burgess, threatening young people with the national service to impress ancient right-wing voters is one of the many reasons the Tories need to be boot out. Jones, on the other hand, criticized the Tories partying until they vomit down the walls of No. 10 when young people sacrificed their freedom to protect older Britons’ lives during COVID.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who proposed the plan, confirmed in a TikTok video that refusal to participate wouldn’t result in a prison sentence. In another video, Sunak stated there’s no reason why university students or teenagers with jobs couldn’t do both volunteering and the military training, which can be done over 25 days throughout the year equivalent to about one weekend a month. Moreover, he added that if someone wanted to do the twelve months in the Army, they could still go to university afterward
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