Sunak’s mandatory National Service is a ‘terrible idea’ | Ed Vaizey

“An off the shelf policy about National Service, completely out of the blue with no context, strikes me I’m afraid as a gimmick.”
The Tories’ plan to bring back mandatory National Service will turn young voters away from the Conservatives, says Times Radio presenter Lord Vaizey.
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[@danielcraig4974]

Put the Tories on the front line

[@geoffbirchall7552]

All government, because they are all the same! We live in a dictatorship, democracy is dead!

[@jackdubz4247]

Send them to Rwanda.

[@pholdway5801]

Sunak in front Not all on the right are in favour . I don't like it either . Stuff conscription . My IQ is sky high but my bravery is ZERO

[@markbleak7228]

Grant Shapps on the front line

[@Gary-Seven-and-Isis-in-1968]

Go live in Russia, before Russia comes to live with you.😂

[@simmybear31]

I'm 64 my kids and grandkids arent going to fight for a bunch of neo-fascist Eton educated Tory w⚓'s!

[@GrooberNedJardine]

Exactly !!! i told my sons don't ever go and fight for a country that hates you . Never .

[@CursedWheelieBin]

@@GrooberNedJardineWhy would the entire country hate your sons? 😂 Are they really that bad?

[@boota1979]

@@GrooberNedJardine Tell me when did the EE ever have our best interest at heart?

[@chriswilde7246]

​​@@GrooberNedJardineAgreed....and it probably wouldn't be for our nation, It would probably end up being for the european theatre........yet again!

[@bensims7501]

Tell them to not work either. Everything should be free. Someone else should fight for us

[@PatOfTheRick]

The people who like this think it’s a great idea for other people’s children.

[@lsmith6378]

Agree

[@jackdubz4247]

Yep. No one who goes to private school is ever going to be doing this so-called national service nonsense. They will all get special exemptions. Or be given really cushy "jobs" to do.

[@rachelmatthews3070]

​@@jackdubz4247 Exactly, I noticed how only those going into the military would get paid (though their policy seems to be constantly being contradicted by MPs) So in other words, working class kids will be pressured into going into the military because of financial pressure while the middle class kids will be able to have the more 'genteel' jobs because they'll be able to afford to not get paid.

[@nimzgaz7049]

Its a great idea. Actually a very bold idea. 🎉

[@GGGZEEE]

That’s probably true of leadership - which is how most privileged think: how to take care of their now at the expense of all others. That’s not community, that’s classist/market capitalist. Not something to be proud of.

[@troyhenry7345]

Due to austerity policies, my children sometimes had to eat one cooked meal daily. These idiots suggest mandatory national services for our children to become canon fodder in trenches in the Baltics. Maybe the government should stop funding wars and spend taxpayers' money on education, NHS, and other public services in desperate states.

[@jonnycollison]

Well said

[@ShindyAdams]

Well said

[@johnmartin9424]

Totally Agree. if they hadn't hollowed out the Armed forces... Emptied the ranks, Sold off the Barracks, withdrawn our troops from Germany... Sold our tanks for scrap: we wouldn't need it.

[@thematic3893]

Rishi wants your children in those filthy trenches to fight the bear! 🇷🇺🐻🇷🇺

[@Gary-Seven-and-Isis-in-1968]

WW3 won't just remain in the Baltics. You should study the enormity of the problem. Under Putin's New World Order your Kids won't eat and you'll have no NHS to worry about.

[@pastyman001]

The army didn't want National Service after the war. It was a pointless burden on them. Employers would not want to lose staff and the people themselves would be joining the army now if they wanted to do it. Who does want this? Old right wing colonels and codgers maybe?

[@timonsolus]

Only 30,000 out of 3,000,000 would join the armed services. And most of them would be fighting from behind a desk and a laptop screen. The remainder would be doing community service. Again, only a small minority would be with the police, fire service and NHS - the vast majority would be picking up litter and sweeping the streets. Some in rural areas might get sent to do fruit picking and other farm tasks. Doesn't sound quite so bad now, does it?

[@mr_incognito9305]

@@timonsolus forced labour in menial jobs? Sounds great...

[@maryj5593]

Some of the prison population could be doing tasks within the community. We need a work force that possess social skills, so many people don't know the basics of being civil and it's not always the younger generation

[@gio-oz8gf]

@@timonsolus It sounds bloody ridiculous and it's never going to happen. We live in the UK, not communist China. It's a throwaway line designed to appeal to their elderly voters. They sound increasingly clueless and desperate.

[@20quid]

Most military officers do not want to become glorified babysitters to a revolving door of kids who don't want to be there. It's not the army's job to whip your child into shape and make up for the shortcomings in your own parenting. They've got a very important and dangerous job to do and we should stop bothering them with pointless nonsense.

[@hugodrax71]

These Tories who went to Eton, Oxford, Stanford etc...among the dumbest people I've ever seen.

[@lesdundas4869]

this is the people who would benifit most from this year in service , would give them some disipline how to look after yourself and makes you part of how to work in a group , makes you grow up it certainly made a better man of me

[@HelenBellen123]

Translation_ anyone you don't agree with is "dumb" 🤨

[@Jack-e5t]

@@lesdundas4869 you seriously think a year would be all it takes to not produce the kind of filth in the tory party now? maybe a decade.

[@michaeladkins6]

@@lesdundas4869 The tory party?

[@hugodrax71]

@@lesdundas4869 There's a discussion to be had for schemes for young offenders or young unemployed...but mandatory national service? Come on.

[@rosella1919]

Sunak will slink off to California when he loses. His kids will never be conscripted.

[@PhantomAngels-h3y]

Exactly 💯

[@Andygb78]

I could see him taking up a position on the board at Hindustan Unilever after losing the election.

[@Gramsci]

On school fees… “middle class voters!?” Does he understand the actual cost of current private school fees? It’s not middle class people, it’s the wealthy.

[@lonyo5377]

Non boarding is probably only a bit more costly than full time nursery. The middle class stretching to send kids to private school are the ones who will no longer be able to. The wealthy won't be impacted

[@gm9460]

Yeah - there are not going to be a noticeable number of middle class people for this is a single issue election. It is cobblers. I have no idea where he is getting this from. The people for who this is seriously a single issue were never voting Labour anyway

[@troop73oo]

My wife told me this this morning, I thought she was either joking or clicked on some daily mail Clickbait story. Just when you think Sunak couldn’t get any dafter.

[@dtaylor9673]

Whoever convinced Sunak National Service was a vote winner must want Labour to win!

[@Norfolkbiker50]

You're actually closer to the truth than you think, a lot of their "advisers" work for members of several parties

[@TheReelDealFilmReviews]

For sure, I completely agree.

[@gio-oz8gf]

@@Norfolkbiker50 Which advisers are you talking about and how do you have this information? I'm starting from a position of not believing you know anything.

[@Koi-addict33]

His wef bosses

[@Norfolkbiker50]

@@gio-oz8gf the first one that springs to mind is Iain Anderson, there are obviously others because these people are freelance and can work for whoever they like, much like a solicitor, I don't care whether you think I know anything or not but if you don't think I do then do some research yourself instead of expecting me to do it for you because whatever I say you'll dispute anyway.

[@tomsheppard378]

I doubt the army or navy would want this. A group of young people who don't want to be there.

[@Jim90117]

I serve currently and you've hit the nail on the head.

[@Taffnp]

Which is why the military option is voluntary

[@Makeyourselfbig]

@@Taffnp If you don't do the military then you have to do the other. That is not how volunteering works. But it is how coercion works.

[@richardjames3022]

For once a sensible comment from young Tom

[@tomsheppard378]

It's just for headlines, the govt could use jobcentres to encourage volunteering amongst young people.

[@drunkonsuccess779]

As if a labour victory wasn't already likely, they've just been handed the "vote us or your kids will be forced to join the army" card

[@gjaxx]

If young people want a military career, they are perfectly entitled to, and capable of, joining voluntarily. Forcing them is just BONKERS. They took away their right to move freely and participate in educational programmes in Europe without giving them a say, and now this. Utterly clueless

[@ProfoundFamiliarity]

To be fair, the public did vote for Brexit but I agree forcing 18 year olds to join up is daft.

[@gjaxx]

@@ProfoundFamiliarity Those affected by this had no say... Neither did any of those who DIDN'T vote for Brexit (a majority of the eligible electorate, whatever spin you put on 'they didn't vote to stay so it was a vote to leave'). Leave won by the slimmest of margins, and declared the 'Will of the People'. A huge percentage of the nation were allowed no further say. Excluded from every aspect of the disaster that followed... So no. Let's NOT be 'fair'

[@ProfoundFamiliarity]

@@gjaxx that's true although how else would we want the democracy to work?

[@gjaxx]

@@ProfoundFamiliarity Oh, I don't know... Maybe if they'd been brave enough to hold a 2nd ref to validate johnson's 'oven ready deal'?... But he already knew how that would go, so chose to present boogy man Corbyn as a distraction instead. A one issue referendum rather than a broad spectrum election. After all, that was what brexit was decided on... in or out... with absolutely no plan as to how 'out' would work

[@fetbetty]

I bet his kids wont have to do it

[@alexwright3301]

Of course they won't he'll be off to America before they're old enough to do it.

[@fetbetty]

@@alexwright3301 disgusting people, the ruling classes, the wealthy, and entitled. We a all so disposable, inconsequential to them.

[@pasta8470]

@@alexwright3301 Pretty much what Bill Clinton did to avoid serving in vietnam

[@Gary-Seven-and-Isis-in-1968]

Putin's kids don't have to do it. They live in a mansion in Switzerland. What point are you trying to make here?

[@stevedixon8567]

people want their weekly shop not to double again, not have kids forced to join the army

[@rachelmatthews3070]

Bravissimo 👏 👏👏

[@AnotherPointOfView944]

Its not the armed forces

[@emlynjay8633]

Ill thought-out final act of Conservative Party self-destruction.

[@ben_______123abc]

As a member of the armed forces this is a terrible idea. Its hard enough to keep people that wanted to join. Also will this apply to their children? Where would they get the funding 😅 this smells like a grab for mid/far right votes.

[@Makeyourselfbig]

It is. Sunak is trying to get some of the Tories that have gone over to Reform back in the fold.

[@timonsolus]

Only 30,000 out of 3,000,000 would join the armed services. And most of them would be fighting from behind a desk and a laptop screen. The remainder would be doing community service. Again, only a small minority would be with the police, fire service and NHS - the vast majority would be picking up litter and sweeping the streets. Some in rural areas might get sent to do fruit picking and other farm tasks. Doesn't sound quite so bad now, does it?

[@ben_______123abc]

@@timonsolus where would the funding for this come from? what return would the nation get on its investment over how long? the logistical infrastructure needs to be built up to support this. Training a pressed person is worth far less than a willing person. Professionals are volunteer, you need to know the person next to you believes in why they are there not because they have no other choice.

[@ProfoundFamiliarity]

Thank you for your service and for this honest comment

[@timonsolus]

@@ben_______123abc : The Tories have said that the National Service scheme would be funded by raiding the levelling up budget (they don’t care about levelling up disadvantaged areas anymore, because the people in those areas now mostly support Labour). I imagine that going forward they would fund the scheme by putting fines on young people who don’t comply, or maybe even by allowing rich young people to pay a large fee and buy themselves an exemption from service.

[@mrpocock]

Labour offers the young the vote. Tories, hard labor. It's like they're trying to throw the election. And i bet it will be forgotten within the week.

[@kristinabelievesinfairies]

I will never ever ever allow my boys to fight for this corrupt government

[@AnotherPointOfView944]

National Service is not conscription. Can you not read?

[@kristinabelievesinfairies]

@@AnotherPointOfView944 mandatory national service IS conscription!!

[@stewartbunting3568]

It just proves to show how desperate the Tories have become, it's not even a vote sweetener, it's a turn off for the books.

[@Andygb78]

@@kristinabelievesinfairies It's mandatory voluntary service.

[@kristinabelievesinfairies]

@@Andygb78 that's an oxymoron

[@tylerdurden7500]

Excellent!!! That's the way to lose an election. You carry on, Rish. Byeeeee

[@riffraff9506]

Restore national pride, vote a Tory out

[@browngaymethodistjesuschri1361]

Starmer being able to talk to world leaders on our behalf would make our nation proud?💀

[@roncozens]

National Service, the number 1 priority on voters minds!

[@Tom_murray89]

Nope getting the Tories out of power is more of a priority for voters

[@briannewton3535]

I hadn't even realised this was so important to me until this idea came to light. Who knew?

[@browngaymethodistjesuschri1361]

@@Tom_murray89keeping the squeaky guy with the massive noggin out of power is voters priority

[@robinholland1136]

@roncozens Ah, but it keeps the rabid Tory press in headlines . . .

[@timdunn2344]

Strong vibes similar to Corbyn's last-minute nationalize-all-internet-firms gaff before his election...

[@FG77-]

You can tell these presenters send their kids to private school and aren’t happy about the Labour proposals on taxing private education.

[@gm9460]

They are completely out of touch

[@jonnobloggs1139]

The female presenter attacks any Labour leaning interviewee like a rottweiler on heat and gives tories an easy time .She is Julia Hartley Brewer with a red wig

[@therealrobertbirchall]

The only people in favor of conscription are those who are too old to be affected.

[@josephnulley6808]

I am over 70 and believe this plan is outrageous and should never be implemented

[@mr_incognito9305]

@@josephnulley6808 you are proof not everyone in your age group thinks like this but you have to admit, it appeals to a good number of older voters unfortunately

[@browngaymethodistjesuschri1361]

*favour

[@Gary-Seven-and-Isis-in-1968]

You're obviously young and naive. Nobody is too old not to be effected.

[@therealrobertbirchall]

@@Gary-Seven-and-Isis-in-1968 no I'm 66. And by affected I meant personally asked to be involved. I appreciate your point I have a son as well and I would be furious if he were compelled to become part of the madness. Then there is the impact on the wider society. Thank you for the correction.

[@blakkat28]

Give young people education and jobs not "national service"

[@MR_THINQ]

They will get that in the military. My brother was in the navy, by the time he left he had a degree in engineering!.

[@Carys211]

Me and all my siblings except my sister were failed tragically by our schools.

[@ShindyAdams]

Thank you

[@Myndir]

@@MR_THINQ The army has enough to do without becoming a massive vocational college, thanks.

[@andrewrobinson2565]

Sunak's money means "an uncertain world" offers HIM and his family an infinity of possibilities. Patronising, pontificating public schoolboy.

[@Cornz38]

You have to ask if Sunak is deliberately trying to lose.

[@philipnesbitt3334]

As he is failing at everything then you could be right because if he fails then he wins! What a ghastly thought.

[@MR_THINQ]

My question is why? Why now? What does the government know that’s going to happen that we aren’t being told?…

[@rosella1919]

Because they want the vote of the oldies, and know that most of them will be in favour of it. I’m old, but there’s no way I would vote for anyone who proposed this. I was married to a Vietnam Veteran. Enough said!

[@Tom_murray89]

It shows how out of touch the Tories are and getting the Tories out of power is more of a priority for the voting public

[@OrSomeBricks]

In view that many people feel deeply alienated from the British Society, is it a good idea to give them military training and access to weapons?

[@Rj-xl8ei]

😂😂😂like anyone would fight for a government that hates you and has run your country into the ground and stolen ALL the money. Do one, get recruits from oxford and cambridge 😂😂😂

[@boota1979]

@Rj-xl8ei Armed Forces swear allegiance to the King and his successors, not who happens to be in number 10.

[@browngaymethodistjesuschri1361]

@@boota1979explain the ministry of defence then dip💩

[@SheilaBloom.]

@@boota1979 who would fight for big King Jug ears

[@boota1979]

@@SheilaBloom. In WWII people and the country were very different and in my opinion way better. They way our country has been wrecked from within saddens me to the core. I wonder Sheila if one day the world will be at peace.

[@SheilaBloom.]

@@boota1979 Personally, I think it’s the Job of politicians & diplomats to work for peace. War is a policy failure and I would we should send the failed policymakers to the front line first Last week we heard how the British state had deliberately murdered its people with cheap imported blood & lied about it for over 30 years sign up to protect these corrupt f*ckers on your bike.

[@jameshealey6535]

Classic "dead cat" tactic- for the next few days the focus will be on this, not the tory record on the Economy; RAAC in schools and hospitals; sewerage in rivers and beaches; cost of living; high mortages and rents; issues with GP & dentist appointment; PPE scandals; NHS waiting lists etc etc

[@petyrkowalski9887]

Young people have had misery, debt and lack of opportunity heaped on them by the tories… now this. Its just a gimmick to appeal to the over 75s.

[@danielcraig4974]

​@RemoanersRtossersSend you first gammon

[@TheBT]

​@RemoanersRtossersEnlist, lead by example

[@SheilaBloom.]

@RemoanersRtossers Last week we heard how the British state had deliberately murdered its people with cheap imported blood & lied about it for over 30 years sign up to protect these corrupt f*ckers on your bike. Next!

[@gio-oz8gf]

@RemoanersRtossers Off you go then, mate. Never ask a person to do something you're not prepared to do yourself. What do you fancy, fruit picking or litter picking and public bog cleaning? You're too old for the army.

[@gio-oz8gf]

@RemoanersRtossers OK, how about you mind your own business and keep your nose out of other people's lives? Who the eff do you think you are?

[@anthonyprime]

I remember well my late father (one of the last year cohort of conscripts). Telling me that the only thing national service taught him was how to skive. This does all rather smack of ill thought out chest thumping impotent fluff.

[@simmybear31]

Exactly and don't forget the Krays were National Servicemen spending their time in the Glass House before a Dishonourable Discharge! It's totally ludicrous!

[@Makeyourselfbig]

My late dad was the same. He did his NS back in the 50's. He said most of them were always being dragged back after going AWOL because they didn't want to be there. Just wasted two prime years of his life. The professional army didn't want to know about them.

[@OzzyHamid-cl2fi]

Sunak and his children, and the rest of his MP villains will be exempt of course…….

[@howardgayton2127]

Sunak has jumped the shark! Is this the Theresa May manifesto moment?

[@michaeladkins6]

richi is counting the days until he is in San Francisco.

[@edmurth]

If the Tories are so keen on national service why haven’t they done any in the last 14 years?

[@briannewton3535]

Because they are now desperately clutching at straws.

[@edmurth]

@@briannewton3535 my comment is ironic in that in the last 14 years the Tories have only served themselves and not the nation.

[@briannewton3535]

@@edmurth Yup, I knew it was ironic, I chose my response to be less so, as the tories truly are clutching at straws now to gain relevance.

[@stewartbunting3568]

Exactly, the Tories think it's a vote sweetener, which it isn't, it's a turn off for the books.

[@MarkFoster321789]

It is called The WEF Plan…

[@alexvince461]

Bear in mind they only came up with it yesterday

[@sofajockeyUK]

The policy staggers me.

[@MrCostas32]

🤣🤣🤣. Good luck with that!! Young people today national service??!! 🤣🤣🤣... I will be very surprised if the conservatives get more than 80 seats in the election

[@boota1979]

@MrCostas32 80 seats, I was hoping 80 votes!

[@flatoutflatbroke]

Once Mr Sunak spends some time in uniform then he can start forcing other people's children to do likewise.

[@macmcc4651]

National Services is for the Poor Lower Castes

[@johncoffey724]

Sunak doesn't relate to anybody but the 1%!!!! Useless!!!

[@matthewsemple]

"Bring Back National Service" - the cry of every old man in a pub who thinks young people are terrible and need to be taught a lesson.

[@jstoner9029]

Why do the rest of use have up subsidise a small minority of rich people who choose to send there kids to private schools. They should pay their service tax (vat) like everyone else.

[@bill0273]

Conservatives have bled this country dry

[@MrCostas32]

Labour 500 seats / Conservatives 70 seats/ Lib dems 50 seats... that's my prediction... We will see a new very small and very right wing fringe conservative party after this election... The conservatives are finished!!! and will not be back (if ever) for another 20 or 30 years

[@briannewton3535]

I would love to see the tories sink to below 100 seats. 70 seats would be a win fer sure. There is a possibility that the Lib Dems could take a few more off the tories though at the cost of what Labour could get. Calling the election later could have put the tories in third place behind the Lib Dems, that would have been awesome, though calling it early should put them in opposition. I am kinda going with your prediction though lib dems getting a handful more and labour a few less. I put the tories getting 85 seats.

[@PhantomAngels-h3y]

I predict labour 450 cons 100 Still got the die hard old white haired withered oldies that haven't a clue, still vote conservative having no idea what they are actually voting for..... 😂😂 They will be up there with there Zimmer frames certain that they know best!

[@Myndir]

@@briannewton3535 I hope the Lib Dems mop up the centre Tories and become the new opposition. People who want populist conservativism can vote Reform. There's no need for a Tory party in 2024.

[@matthewclifton2510]

Sunak is the worst Prime Minister ever. Because he has no principles, he blows hot and cold over and over again. Teach him a lesson and boot him out of politics for good.

[@wolfen210959]

The last time the youth of this country were conscripted, 400 of them died, fighting in Korea.

[@onenote6619]

It is a terrible idea. But elderly voters will lap it up.

[@iwaddi1037]

I really really hope not. I'm sure elderly people are better than this.

[@moomin7461]

​@@iwaddi1037Don't get your hopes up.

[@shantishanti1949]

The voice he’s using is really unnerving - worry people worry this is only the first step of his plan - the next step is Ukraine front line !

[@charleswhitney3235]

Wasn't Sunak talking about setting up reeducation camps for people who he did not see as sufficiently patriotic at one point? He's a bit Stalinist isn't he.

[@thomasmoore1499]

Crazy Sunak doing what he does best, fiddling round the edges instead of getting on with the day job

[@owencarlstrand1945]

Every senior army officer I have ever spoken to about this says that they have no funding for training, equipping and housing a couple of hundred thousand people who don’t want to be there. Furthermore they have no use for half trained national serviceman in any envisaged combat scenarios. It’s hopeless.

[@roydavidlivermore4664]

Well two thirds of the soldiers that fought in the Korean War were National service and almost 400 were killed in action.They were pleased enough with them then.

[@owencarlstrand1945]

@@roydavidlivermore4664 Taught how to use a Bren, 303 rifle, mortar and grenades plus blancoing webbing and painting coal white (read the play “Chips with Everything” by Arnold Wesker. That’s not to belittle the contribution but in 1952 the size of the British Army was 871,000 so many National Servicemen were support troops. Plus there were no drones, manpads, artillery detection radar systems, missile systems or computerised comms systems all of which require months of training. Different times in 1952.

[@roydavidlivermore4664]

@@owencarlstrand1945 Yes,and of course there is now a very small regular army who would be unable to cope with huge intakes of recruits.

[@owencarlstrand1945]

@@roydavidlivermore4664 Absolutely correct.

[@patrykrusewicz785]

The state should not force anyone to serve in the military, but should encourage them, for example, with good pay. I'm from Poland, but I'm sorry to hear that any western country wants to use such coercive measures

[@20quid]

Most military officers do not want to become glorified babysitters to a revolving door of kids who don't want to be there. It's not the army's job to whip your child into shape and make up for the shortcomings in your own parenting. They've got a very important and dangerous job to do and we should stop bothering them with pointless nonsense.

[@vicredshaw1155]

Next week's big policy announcement ; free puppies for everyone!

[@Andygb78]

British Bulldog puppies only, though, to foster a sense of service to the nation.

[@Myndir]

@@Andygb78 And only for the over 70s. Cared for by voluntary mandatory service from teenagers.

[@martinmcgurk5150]

Have lived through 14 Prime Ministers and Sunak is be far the worst. Utterly clueless. 😂😂😂😂

[@ballshippin3809]

I would rather go to prison than fight for the WEF

[@gio-oz8gf]

Will you stop talking about the WEF, you sound like a fruitcake. What shape do you believe the Earth to be?

[@boota1979]

@ballshippin3809 You wouldn't be fighting for the WEF.

[@Rondoggy67]

Don’t worry, you won’t be called up. There isn’t a tin foil hat brigade in the British Army.

[@boota1979]

@@Rondoggy67 Clueless....

[@ballshippin3809]

@@Rondoggy67 Have you taken your 900th booster shot yet?..

[@workingwiththelight3119]

Sunak doesn't want to be a wartime PM but he is happy to send young boys to war! Bold and brave! Inspiring at least!

[@CaptainFearless1]

any parent would naturally be concerned what the motive is here...is it to give them a structured experience, or actually be calling on them to act in some sort of defence capacity and why couldn't he just have met his targets. rather than deflect from their own failings

[@GarethT902]

Labour give 16 yrs old the vote Conservative give them boot camp

[@lokischildren8714]

A gimmick it stinks of the Tories are the modern Natc party

[@jeffdingle9677]

All everyone learned about National Service in the 1950's was how to "skive"... Just what we need - a Country full of "skivers"... Honestly, the Tories have run out of ideas - the cost alone makes it unworkable, let alone the massive numbers of supervision and expensive extra resources required. Don't forget who's gonna have to round up the miscreants and absconders. Just fund the Military and the like, properly like was done before the Tories got into power in 2010.

[@sadeanthony2760]

Yeah national service is very out dated idea. You already have kids in education in 18, if it was ever implemented it would just cause uproar and division amongst youth and parents alike

[@RedPhone-mz5lv]

Are young immigrants going to be told to register as well or will they be left alone to do as they please like they are now

[@AndrewDKinsey]

Its an idiotic, ill thought out and unaffordable idea. It would cost over £2bn to implement, money we should be spent in doctors, but apparently we dont have. Ed is right its a total gimmick.

[@camellia8625]

Maybe RS could do some national service himself, once he is out of office and has more time on his hands. Young people who want to be in the reserves or do volunteer work can already do so - by choice.

[@judithdavidson2356]

If he believes that older people will like this, he’s more deranged than I thought. Why should parents and grandparents think that their children should be told what to do. It’s not enforceable in any event.

[@SK-hv3zn]

Conscription is a terrible thing.

[@AnotherPointOfView944]

This isn't conscription. Can you not read?

[@SK-hv3zn]

@@AnotherPointOfView944 Yes, but that is the actual plan!

[@Gary-Seven-and-Isis-in-1968]

War is a terrible thing.

[@Truthseeker1515]

It's insane. As a French citizen, I completed my national service in 1996. I was in one of the last contingents as it was abrogated in 1998. (1) Those with connections either did not do it or landed in cushy jobs. (2) Graduates were treated as cheap, educated labour by professional NCOs, most of whom did not even have the baccalaureate (3) Those graduates who extended their national service by 3 months for officer training were considered as worse than privates by professional NCOs. (4) That one year (it was 12 months at the time) delayed entry into the world of work. (5) who would want to serve for an institution that serves greedy politicians who wage illegal wars? There is no such thing as society anyway, who knows best than the Tories!

[@circleseven5115]

Given National Service stopped in the 60s maybe everyone who missed out should be made to do it retrospectively? Let’s see how popular that is!

[@lovejetfuel4071]

Guarantee you there will be a clause that will state, none of the MPs 18yo sons or daughters shall be included

[@custossecretus5737]

At a different time this is a good idea. Military or civilian service, gives our youngsters something to do, gives them a purpose, life skills, discipline, a sense of belonging to a society and something they can be proud of. We can recruit pensioners with skills to pass on for a boost in their pension, mould the next generation to be productive instead of being paid to sit at home. At the moment nobody wants to fight for a war engineered by the elite, to fight for a country they no longer recognise, to die on a foreign field for someone else’s war. Our kids have no future, nothing to do but play video games or hang around on the streets being recruited into street gangs. No hope of getting on the property ladder, nothing for them to do, treated as a problem for society rather than a valued asset to society.

[@ryanballentine138]

I have no sympathy whatsoever on the private school issue. Private schools are an elitist concept to begin with theirs no reason everyone shouldn’t get the same education. Private schools are just so rich people don’t have to send their kids to school with poor people.

[@charles8157]

Why call it Compulsory national service if they can refuse,talk sense people 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@deviousdescent9010]

They can't refuse, it's compulsory!

[@privatefeaces]

Of course you can refuse, you always have a choice. You may to to prison but it's still a choice.

[@User863-v8p]

​@@privatefeaces they can't put anyone in prison as there are no spaces!

[@Koi-addict33]

​@@deviousdescent9010they can't make it compulsory

[@boota1979]

@@Koi-addict33 Can't you remember the 'pandemic' They can do what they want, we have no say!

[@richardtaylor5438]

Personally I don’t think anything especially national service should be mandatory for anyone, especially teenagers. Everyone should have the choice what they do with their lives. It’s not fit for everyone.

[@vivwindsor4055]

It's straight off the Daily Mail front page circa 1970/1980s, it might play well with the Tory membership but not the wider electorate.

[@Myndir]

Straight out of Putin's policies.

[@PeterJohnsonWales]

Hate to be pedantic, but you cant be compelled to "volunteer". As a former charity directory there is no way I would accept "volunteers" who didn't actually want to be there.

[@Andygb78]

It's mandatory voluntary.

[@Isclachau]

Who would fight for the UK. 😂😂I don’t even recognise my neighbours anymore or even speak their language. No let them fight for it

[@RoySutharshan]

Language didn’t matter during world war 2 era. Check the word war 2 casualties

[@Isclachau]

@@RoySutharshan Yes good point. It’s not relevant here at all but thanks for sharing it. all the sane.

[@Gary-Seven-and-Isis-in-1968]

@@Isclachau Why is it not relevant here?

[@Isclachau]

@@Gary-Seven-and-Isis-in-1968 Is it not obvious from my comment.? Why would anybody fight for the UK when you have a society fractured into ethnic groups and who despise you. Like I said let them fight for it , I certainly won’t 👍

[@Gary-Seven-and-Isis-in-1968]

@@Isclachau You're fighting to live in a democratic country. If you hate democracy you could live in Russia, now very much a fascist country. You display certain racist tendencies so it might be a good move for you. Mobilization is colour blind.👍🏼

[@clj.4874]

Maybe, instead of National Service for 18 year olds they should introduce national service for MPs. They all have to do several weeks volunteering in a school, GP, hospital, care home, social care and police within their first 12 months in office.

[@j94c]

Instead, why not introduce a one off boomer windfall tax on anyone the over the age of 65 with over 1mil in assets and use the money to scrap all existing student debt? Would go just a modicum toward equalising intergenerational inequality

[@user-jm9rh6py5i]

5:13 I am surprised that Tories are allowed to say that Labour has no plan. They are literally asking for a response “ Isn’t it hypocritical to claim that we don’t have a plan? We only didn’t have a chance to prove our plan yet. You had 14 years to make your plans reality, but look around. All the UK is in decay after your time in government. It tells me that either you have never had a plan, or you had a completely disastrous one. Which one is it?” I can tell for myself, that Labour lacking a plan is still better than Conservatives having many

[@Tooma1979]

18 yr olds who have two kids and are married be like whaaaat? U want me to go do volunteering lol

[@mandydavidson6694]

Whose young people do the Tories intend to conscript ? Their own first presumably?

[@John-pr2gw]

So Rishi, my kids could find themselves in a trench somewhere near Kiev while a bunch of chancers in dinghies are living it up in a 4-star hotel? I don't think so.

[@blandoatmeal1273]

Someone wanting to make national service a thing that hasn't served themselves previously should be front and centre in line to be conscripted*. Edited to change recruited to conscripted

[@kevinwellwrought2024]

Sunak seems to be preparing for war with Russia

[@Makeyourselfbig]

Well is the sort of thing Putin would use to convince the Russian people that the West is preparing for war with Russia.

[@briannewton3535]

I think he left it a bit late. When labour was in power we had 113,000 Defence personnel. the tories took us down to 75,000 I think just too little too late. 😅

[@commonman131]

"Were is the war" desperate tories they are the ones that should be conscripted or put in jail.

[@nocomments5319]

Someone is pulling the strings behind

[@gio-oz8gf]

Someone needs to remind Sunak which century we're living in.

[@deviousdescent9010]

I'd choose sanctions and wouldn't do that either.

[@gavinlisk2292]

Because of this government my kids can't afford to get on the housing ladder, can't get a decent job paying job, are saddled with crippling debt, and now they want them to do national service!!

[@PaulK-ve1pu]

Next up? Pet ASBOs

[@barneypaws4883]

When Sunak's kids hit 18 years old, they won't be doing national service because old Rishi will be living in the US raking in his millions

[@projectedone]

I will not encourage my son to join the military. We would be better off getting rid of our current government instead. Make peace with Russia . Uk should not have helped orchestrate this conflict in Ukraine and scupper all peace deals which would have averted war, kept Ukraine neutral and intact. Now they want us to put our son’s lives up to bail out their misadventure.

[@bendreczko9054]

problem with that idea is we know russia what all of ukraine, poland and other country under them, if they win Ukraine they will go after Poland next and poland is a nato country so we will be drag in, however if we halp Ukraine win, the war with nato will not happen.

[@projectedone]

@@bendreczko9054 😂 nope. Where did you hear that? Sounds like you are just echoing the western media. Nowhere did Russia ever claim that they want to invade any other country. They even didn’t want to invade Ukraine.Widen your knowledge beyond the propaganda you would be amazed .

[@bendreczko9054]

@@projectedone well it came out of Putin him self when he want to "have the Baltics back under russia rule" this includes poland, not that they can anymore if they are having such a bad time in ukraine which is no wear near armed as poland they got no chance, also these day the Baltic see is now really all nato so good luck getting a russia navy there.

[@projectedone]

@@bendreczko9054 where did Putin ever say that? Never heard him speak those words.

[@bendreczko9054]

@@projectedone Putin claimed on January 16 that Latvia and other Baltic states are “throwing [ethnic] Russian people” out of their countries and that this situation “directly affects Russia’s security.” He said the same thing before he try to invade Ukraine. Now you see why all nato countrys are spending more money on there armys

[@jordan-kj1bh]

Your way behind in young people voting for you Because we know your tricks we have seen what your offer to society did to our parents and family’s and communities and we want no part in it

[@star123_12]

vote labour the torys have lost it

[@Andygb78]

Or in the words of Morrissey "Don't vote, it only encourages them".

[@SkyBlue-px1tc]

You would think the UK would have learnt from the mistakes the U.S & Australia made with conscription for the Vietnam war in the 1960's. We lost over 58,000 lives combined for that war. Thousands more wounded.

[@Norfolkbiker50]

This isn't the first time this has been mooted in recent years. I used to work for the dwp and the idea of compulsory national service for unemployed 18-24 year olds was batted around for a while under Gordon Brown's government. I know the reason it didn't happen and the reason it won't happen this time. Over 70% of Muslims in that age bracket are unemployed and it was made very clear to the government at the time that not one of them would ever agree to national service for the English armed forces so rather than be forced to explain why they were exempt the idea was scrapped, just as it will be this time!

[@therealrobertbirchall]

English Armed forces? So they are only there to defend England? Why do the 'English military' have nuclear weapons in Scotland then?🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@ballshippin3809]

More British Muslims joined ISIS than they ever did for the British armed forces. Just shows you where their true loyalties really are. Yet they are just as British as you and me supposedly...

[@Norfolkbiker50]

@@therealrobertbirchall hey, I'm just telling you what the report said at the time, and you're right, a disproportionate number of members of the BRITISH armed forces are Scottish, Welsh and Irish.

[@Norfolkbiker50]

@@ballshippin3809 we both know there's no such thing as a "British Muslim".

[@boota1979]

@Norfolkbiker50 Why were Muslims exempt? Muslims fought and died in their millions in WWII. What changed 2005/2010 to suddenly give them an exemption?