Conscription Is On The Table

[Khandro]

Rishi's plan to bring it back;

https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/1903634/UK-Army-conscription-National-Service-announcement-Rishi-Sunak

Would you welcome it ?

[ToraToraTora]

Ludicrous idea, today's 18 year olds can't bear to be away from their smart phones and vapes. They'll be off to the ECHR en masse claiming their yuman writes are being violated!

[Auntypoll]

I presume this is for males and females and all the Bonny folk in between? Oh I can just imagine the tears and tantrums. What a ridiculously badly thought out idea, aimed at scraping back the older vote as they are basically f'ed with the younger generation.

[ToraToraTora]

gromit: "Sunak really is doing his best to lose the election. That's the first time voters alienated." - well yes but most of them vote Labour or Lib non dem anyway.

[gulliver1]

Now we know the Tories are off their trolley most 18 yr olds if they do vote will vote Labour and this idiotic plan will just bring even more 18 yr olds into the poll booths and they will not be voting for the Cons 🤣Bring it on Rishi🤣

[douglas9401]

Not compulsory so what's the point of wasting everybody's time with this drivel.

More a chance for older folk to say "It never did me any harm."

People long ago realised that they can say 'no' when they don't want to do something and there's absolutely nothing that the few remaining police or any other 'authority' can do about it once the ball is rolling.

[barry1010]

davebro, I know National Service ended in 1960 but the age of voting was 21 until 1969

[Gromit]

19% of first time voters put their cross in the Conservative box in 2019. That is a lot of votes to lose, it could be the difference between winning and losing.

[sandyRoe]

I wonder what senior military figures would think of this?

I'm sure they wouldn't want to have to look after a load of surly teenagers.

[ToraToraTora]

09:37 so 81% didn't if we remove them all then tories lose 19 the rest lose 81 I'll take that all day long.

[THECORBYLOON]

TORATORATORA,  why would 81% of first-time voters not vote for parties that aren't advocating national service?

[Gromit]

Tora,

They are not advocating removing their voting rights.

They will NOT be removing 81% of the oppositions first time voters.

The 19% of first timers who voted Conservative, this time have a disincentive NOT to vote for them.

I assume the 19% figure will drop even lower, the Conservatives must know that, but they aren't concerned. But it is a lot of votes to willingly concede.

 

[Untitled]

sunak is not actually proposing military conscription.

the "national service" he details require 18 year olds to spend one weekend a month assisting some branch of public service including the NHS, fire services, police or the military... though he has hastened to add that it isn't compulsory so that rather busts the idea.

to be honest if it wasn't a desperate promise that had obviously been thought of last minute i don't actually think it is a bad idea at all. i am a fierce opponent of military conscription but the idea of requiring some kind of civic service is not without merit... many members of the voting public have very little idea at all how public services actually operate and so it might also improve that.

but as usual with the conservatives they don't really believe it because they don't believe in anything at all other than being in power. they're just trotting this soundbite out because they think old people will like it and vote for them instead of reform. we have been governed for the last 14 years by unserious people who are completely incapable of coming up with ideas and are unsuited to running a country. this is a very good example.

[ToraToraTora]

yes but still 81% did not vote Tory so IF they were taken out of the equation you'd take 19% of them frm the tories and 81% of them from the others. Arithmetically that is a good deal.

[ToraToraTora]

10:32 was in reply to 10:27

[gulliver1]

I have suddenly warmed towards Sunak. He knows the Cons want to dump him... and so they should. But he is thinking If I go ! You lot are coming with me .That's why he called a snap election without consulting his MPs, and his MPs know they ain't got a "cat in hells chance" of winning this Election So they are jumping ship before Captain of The Tory Titanic steers the Party into an Iceberg ..Get it !.

[Gromit]

Tora,

Why/How will first time voters be taken out of the equation ?

[rockyracoon]

I wasn't going to vote because I immensly dislike our Tory MP, however she's standing down so I thought, I'd probably vote (Tory).  Well, Rishi has blown that now. Not only will I vote, it definitely won't be blue.

[Untitled]

i cannot seem to find rishi sunak's actual statement but the observer's coverage is more detailed than khandro's link..

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/may/25/sunak-promises-to-bring-back-national-service-for-18-year-olds

"Under the plan [...] the prime minister late Saturday said that every 18-year-old would have to spend time in a competitive, full-time military commission or spend one weekend a month volunteering in “civil resilience”

[...]

The proposals would see a “bold new model of national service” for 18-year-olds that could see them opt to spend one weekend per month volunteering in roles such as special constable, RNLI volunteer, or NHS responder. Officials claimed it would give young people “real world skills, while contributing to their country and community”.

In practice, a royal commission would be set up to design the new national service programme, leading to a pilot programme to open for applications in September 2025. However, it would be backed in law by a National Service Act."

i actually think it's a good idea. it would apparently cost £2.5 billion. so what? the MOD has spent more than £3 billion acquring 26 Ajax vehicles. i would much rather see the government spend money on something like this.

what a shame it has been introduced in this desperate slapdash stupid way. sunak is a very poor politician indeed. the conservatives have nobody serious.

[gulliver1]

TTT 10 37 Dont forget What Thatcher told you.

"When people attack you It means they have not a single political argument left" ,,,You have proved this by your stupid repetitive insults ..Take a tip from the Ghastly Lady OK.