Senior Minister Steve Baker criticises Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s plan for compulsory National Service for 18-year-olds, sparking debate within the Conservative party and across the political spectrum. Concerns raised about implications for military morale and integration within armed forces.
UK Politics: Tensions Over Sunak’s National Service Plan
Senior Northern Ireland Minister Steve Baker has criticized Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s proposed compulsory National Service scheme for 18-year-olds. Sunak’s plan, announced ahead of the upcoming general election, requires young people to either serve one year in the military or engage in community service on weekends for a year.
Baker, addressing his Wycombe constituents, expressed his opposition to the compulsory nature of the scheme, emphasizing a preference for liberty under the rule of law and parliamentary democracy. He revealed that neither he nor other senior ministers were consulted prior to the policy announcement.
Defence Minister Andrew Murrison also voiced concerns, warning that mandatory service might damage military morale, recruitment, and retention, and prove challenging to integrate within the armed forces’ professional structure.
This proposal marks the Conservatives’ first major policy since Sunak called a general election. The Prime Minister defends the plan as a means to unite society and provide young people with a shared purpose. The scheme aims to involve youth in military roles or voluntary work with local services and charities.
The last such national service in the UK, which was for post-war male citizens, ended in 1960. Critics, including Labour figures and military experts, argue that the current proposal is impractical and insufficiently detailed.
Sunak’s initiative estimates an annual cost of £2.5 billion, partially funded by cracking down on tax evasion. However, this has sparked debate over the reallocation of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, previously intended to tackle economic inactivity.
Overall, the proposed National Service has ignited significant political debate, with varying opinions across the political spectrum and within Sunak’s own party.