Conservatives pledge to conscript UK teens in election policy blitz

The Conservative Party has announced plans for the reintroduction of National Service, in the opening salvo of a policy blitz to woo voters ahead of 4 July.

The proposal aims to introduce twelve months of mandatory service for 18-year-olds, in either one of 30,000 full-time military placements, or volunteering one weekend a month carrying out community service.

The policy aims to echo the peacetime national service introduced in 1949, that required men from ages 17 to 21 to serve in the armed forces for 18 months, and then remain in reserve for the following four years.

James Cleverly, the Home Secretary, has suggested, however, that the new scheme is more concerned with addressing “fragmentation in society”, as opposed to any direct military demands.

[National Service will] create a shared sense of purpose among our young people and a renewed sense of pride in our country

Rishi Sunak, Prime Minister

The Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, has claimed the plan will re-foster the “national spirit” that was previously present during the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said his proposals would help young people develop “real world skills, do new things, and contribute to their community and our country.”

“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.”

The plans have taken many by surprise, including seemingly those within Sunak’s own government. Andrew Murrison, a defence minister, rejected any plan for national service only two days before the announcement, claiming it could hit military morale, and deplete already waning resources.

Northern Ireland Minister Steve Baker, meanwhile, has suggested the proposal was “sprung” on Tory candidates. He voiced concerns as to how the plans would be applied in Northern Ireland, where there have been historical tensions towards the British Army.

Former head of the Royal Navy, Admiral Lord West, has attacked the plans as “hare-brained”

In the armed forces themselves, there has been debate in recent months over the viability of reintroducing national service. General Patrick Saunders, Chief of the General Staff, suggested in January that there was a growing need for the formation of a “citizen army”, in the face of the Russo-Ukraine conflict.

In contrast, former head of the Royal Navy, Admiral Lord West, has attacked the plans as “hare-brained”, and criticised Sunak for ostensibly lacking an understanding of the costs of training individuals to be effective contributors to UK defence.

The move has been seen as an attempt to appeal to Reform UK voters, who threaten to undercut Conservative support come polling day.

For those voting Labour, however, the policy would appear anathema. Liz Kendall, the Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, slammed the plan as a “headline-grabbing gimmick”. Labour has since attacked the proposal as an “unfunded commitment”.