In a dramatic pre-election move that's ignited political firestorms across Westminster, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced plans to reintroduce mandatory national service for all 18-year-olds if the Conservatives win the upcoming general election.
What the Controversial Plan Entails
The proposed scheme would force every teenager to choose between two demanding paths: a full-year military placement or monthly community volunteering. Defence Secretary Grant Shapps confirmed the military option would involve working with the armed forces, though he insisted participants wouldn't be "forced to handle a gun."
Immediate Political Backlash
Labour's Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall didn't mince words, labelling the announcement "a desperate gimmick from a party that's run out of ideas." She highlighted the Conservatives' track record of cutting armed forces personnel by nearly 50,000 since 2010.
Liberal Democrat defence spokesperson Richard Foord echoed the sentiment, calling it "another unworkable, unfunded commitment" that would do little to address the real challenges facing Britain's military.
Financial Questions Loom Large
The government claims the programme would cost £2.5 billion annually, funded through cash previously allocated for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and cracking down on tax avoidance. However, critics immediately questioned these figures, pointing to the enormous logistical challenges of housing, training, and supervising hundreds of thousands of teenagers each year.
Military Experts Voice Concerns
Former senior military figures expressed serious doubts about the plan's practicality. One ex-army officer told the Mirror: "The armed forces are already stretched thin. Taking on potentially 30,000 young people annually for military-style training would require massive infrastructure investment and thousands of additional training staff."
A Clear Election Dividing Line
With the general election campaign heating up, the national service announcement represents one of the starkest policy differences between the major parties. While the Conservatives pitch it as building a "more secure and united UK," opponents see it as an expensive distraction from more pressing issues.
The debate is set to dominate the campaign trail in coming weeks, with young voters and their families watching closely as politicians argue over who should control teenagers' futures.
