Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has pledged to reintroduce National Service for 18-year-olds, offering full-time military placements or part-time volunteer schemes to foster national unity if the Conservatives win the general election. Here’s the full story.
Off to a Bad Start
The Conservatives are not having a good start to the election campaign, which their leader, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, called.
Bad Optics
This is much to the dismay of many within their party, who have privately expressed reservations over the timing, bad optics, and gaffes that have marred the campaign since its inception.
Disastrous Election Launch
However, Rishi Sunak, struggling to maintain support after a disastrous election campaign launch in the pouring rain, has come up with a bold proposal with which he apparently hopes to capture the support of older voters.
National Service
Sunak has announced a plan to reinstate National Service if the Conservatives win the upcoming general election.
“Valuable Work Experience”
The proposal, reminiscent of post-World War II conscription, would offer those unfortunate enough to be enlisted “valuable work experience” and apparently “ignite a passion for a future career in healthcare, public service, charity or the armed forces.”
18 Months
National Service, which ended in 1960, required men ages 17 to 21 to serve in the armed forces for at least 18 months. The last national servicemen were discharged in 1963.
Modernising Conscription
Sunak’s plan seeks to modernise this tradition, offering 18-year-olds the option of a full-time military placement or a part-time volunteer scheme.
Mandatory
The proposed National Service would be mandatory for all 18-year-olds. They would have two options: a full-time, 12-month placement in the armed forces or cyber defence roles, or volunteering one weekend a month over a year, totalling 25 days, with organisations such as the police, fire services, NHS, or charities focused on supporting the elderly and isolated individuals.
“Opportunities or Experience”
Sunak, who did not have to participate in National Service, stated, “This is a great country, but generations of young people have not had the opportunities or experience they deserve, and there are forces trying to divide our society in this increasingly uncertain world.”
“Secure Our Future”
He continued, “I have a clear plan to address this and secure our future. I will bring in a new model of National Service to create a shared sense of purpose among our young people and a renewed sense of pride in our country.”
£2.5 Billion
The Conservative Party estimates the National Service program would cost approximately £2.5 billion annually by 2029/30.
“Unfunded Commitment”
The announcement has sparked significant debate among political opponents and supporters alike. A Labour Party spokesperson told the BBC that the plan was nothing more than “another desperate £2.5 billion unfunded commitment from a Tory Party that already crashed the economy, sending mortgages rocketing, and now they’re spoiling for more.”
“This Is Not a Plan”
They added, “This is not a plan – it’s a review which could cost billions and is only needed because the Tories hollowed out the armed forces to their smallest size since Napoleon.”
“Damaging Cuts”
Similarly, Liberal Democrat defence spokesperson Richard Foord stated, “If the Conservatives were serious about defence, they would reverse their damaging cuts to our world class professional armed forces, instead of decimating them, with swingeing cuts to the number of our regular service personnel.”
“The Envy of the World”
He continued, “Our armed forces were once the envy of the world. This Conservative government has cut troop numbers and is planning more cuts to the size of the Army.”
Public Support
The concept of reintroducing National Service has received support from a majority of the public who would not be affected by its introduction.
64% Oppose
According to a YouGov poll, only 28% of Britons would support mandatory National Service of the type Sunak suggests, while 64% would oppose it.
46% Support
Interestingly, 78% of 18-24-year-olds would oppose such a scheme, whilst those aged 65 and above, who are most in favour of National Service, saw the highest levels of support at 46%.
Less Than Half
Despite the fact that a vanishingly small percentage of those over 65 who support such a scheme have never themselves taken part in any National Service, it is interesting to note that less than half of them support it.
On Life Support
While cynics might view Rishi Sunak’s pledge to bring back National Service as a desperate attempt to revive an electoral campaign which, only a few days into its launch, already appears to be on life support, there remains a large percentage of the UK population who, despite never having been part of National Service themselves, think that it is a good idea.
Hail Mary
However, as the election campaign goes on, only time will tell if this is, as it seems to be, an increasingly desperate hail mary by a Prime Minister out of ideas or a genuine political offering that Sunak believes may save him the election.
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