A mother on BBC Question Time has voiced her fears about conscription for her young son, asking the panel "what are we doing for future generations?"
The audience member, speaking during the programme recorded in Liverpool, said that as the mother of a seven-year-old, global tensions worry her. She asked what is being done about conscription for when her son turns 18, noting that he has not been part of any of the current conflicts.
She added that her son's school already has a policy involving the armed forces in secondary school, which concerns her given the state of the world.
Powell's response on conscription
Labour's deputy leader Lucy Powell responded, saying: "Obviously as a parent myself I am fairly confident we won't have conscription." She then corrected herself, stating: "I mean I hope we will never get to a point where we've got conscription necessary in this country too."
Powell went on to say that there is a policy and political matter that could emerge from the US elections, referring to the war in Iran. She expressed pride that the Labour government said it would not get involved with the war, citing its devastating impact on the cost of living around the world.
Panel and programme details
The episode, which discussed the US midterm election, featured a panel including Powell, Conservative shadow health minister Luke Evans, TUC general secretary Paul Nowak, Telegraph columnist Tim Stanley, and former US basketball star John Amaechi.
BBC Question Time returns next week in Exeter.
