UK
Kevin Schofield
Mon, 27 May 2024
Rishi Sunak election campaign has got off to a bad start. CHRIS RATCLIFFE via Getty Images
The Conservatives’ general election campaign is in meltdown after a minister criticised Rishi Sunak’s flagship policy of bringing back national service.
Steve Baker said the PM’s plan for all 18-year-olds to either enlist in the Army for a year or volunteer for community service had been “sprung on” Tory candidates.
It emerged yesterday that just last week, defence minister Andrew Murrison had set out why the government did not support the return of national service.
Baker, the Northern Ireland minister, made clear his unhappiness at the policy on X (formerly Twitter) today.
He said: “I don’t like to be pedantic but a government policy would have been developed by ministers on the advice of officials and collectively agreed. I would have had a say on behalf of NI. But this proposal was developed by a political adviser or advisers and sprung on candidates, some of whom are relevant ministers.”
Baker’s outburst is another blow for the policy, which has been mired in confusion since being announced over the weekend.
Ministers have been unable to explain what the sanctions would be for anyone who failed to take part, although home secretary James Cleverly has insisted no one will be jailed.
Foreign office minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan today suggested the parents of those who fail to take part could be sanctioned - but was then slapped down by Tory deputy chairman James Daly.
He told Times Radio that Trevelyan “certainly doesn’t have responsibility for this area” and pointed out that James Cleverly was “saying something very different” yesterday.
Daly added: “I think we’ll have to see. There will be rules that will come out from the prime minister. I can’t speak in respect of those.”
In a further blow to the prime minister, the Tories were forced to suspend an outgoing MP after she endorsed the Reform UK candidate in the seat she represented for nine years.
Lucy Allan said: “I am supporting Alan Adams to be Telford’s next MP. If you want to help Alan or donate to his campaign, sign up on his website.”
A Tory spokesperson said: “Lucy Allan has been suspended from the Party with immediate effect. The people of Telford now have the chance to vote for a dedicated and hardworking new candidate who will put Telford first. A vote for Reform is a vote for Keir Starmer.”
Meanwhile, former Tory minister Lord Goldsmith also launched a bitter attack on Sunak.
He said: “I understand the anger towards Sunak who has damaged the party almost beyond repair and all but guaranteed the majority of his MPs will lose their job next month.
“But it’s hard to muster much sympathy given that none of this would have happened without the complicity of a majority of the party and what is now unfolding was entirely predictable - indeed predicted.
“The hope is that when Sunak disappears off to California in a few weeks there are at least some decent MPs left around which to rebuild.”
However, in an interview with ITV, Sunak insisted he will not quit parliament if he is booted out of No.10.
Responding to Goldsmith’s claims he will move to America, he said: “It’s simply not true. I mean, it’s just simply not true.”
Tory minister criticises National Service plan that was ‘sprung’ on MPs
Dominic Penna
Mon, 27 May 2024
Rishi Sunak said 18-year-olds would face either a year on a military placement or one weekend of each month volunteering - Chris Ratcliffe/Getty Images
A Government minister appeared to criticise Rishi Sunak’s National Service plan as he said it was “sprung on” MPs.
Rishi Sunak made the first major policy announcement of the general election campaign over the weekend, saying 18-year-olds would face either a year on a military placement or one weekend of each month volunteering.
But Steve Baker, a minister at the Northern Ireland Office, noted that a defence minister had ruled out the return of National Service the day after Mr Sunak called a general election.
Writing on X, formerly Twitter, Mr Baker said: “It’s a Conservative Party policy. The Government’s policy was set out on Thursday. I don’t like to be pedantic, but a Government policy would have been developed by ministers on the advice of officials and collectively agreed. I would have had a say on behalf of Northern Ireland.
“But this proposal was developed by a political adviser or advisers and sprung on candidates, some of whom are relevant ministers.”
Mr Baker served in the Royal Air Force as an engineer officer. His constituency of Wycombe is a marginal seat, and he beat Labour by just over 4,000 votes, or eight per cent, in the 2019 election.
The mandatory National Service plan has been backed by many Tory MPs. James Cleverly, the Home Secretary, said the Conservatives “envisage there will be a very high level of take-up”.
Mr Baker is the first Tory MP to have publicly spoken out against it. In addition to his own remarks, he also shared a post on X in which a Financial Times reader suggested “National Service for pensioners... make people do a year’s service for their country before they get their triple-locked pension.”
The comment added: “The oldies think that National Services offers ‘opportunities’ and helps people from different backgrounds meet, and lots of other good things, so they should be happy to get those benefits for themselves, right?”
Following his criticism, Mr Baker wrote on his personal blog: “I am for liberty under the rule of law and Parliamentary democracy. History has proven time and time again that liberty under law – not compulsion and planning – is the surest road to peace and prosperity.”
He added that policies decided by a leader, rather than ministers collectively were “perhaps the worst aspect of the democratic process”.
Mr Baker was a critic of the Government’s Covid lockdowns and said the public should “start living like a free people”.
On Thursday, Andrew Murrison, a defence minister, told a Tory MP on Thursday that National Service would not be introduced in “any form”. He said it would hit recruitment and retention, consume resources and could harm motivation for recruits.
Research conducted for Onward, a think tank, last year found that 57 per cent of people supported the Government introducing a “new National Service scheme” for young people.
Labour has rejected the plan as a “headline-grabbing gimmick”, while Nigel Farage, Reform UK’s honorary president, also described the plans as “a joke” and “totally impractical”.
Minister said there were ‘no plans’ for national service policy three days ago
Holly Evans
Sun, 26 May 2024
Andrew Murrison rejected the plans for national service two days before Sunak’s announcement (PA)
A Tory minister rejected the prospect of national service just two days before Rishi Sunak announced his party would introduce it for teenagers if they win the general election.
Responding to a written parliamentary question, defence minister Andrew Murrison said there were “no plans” to introduce the controversial policy.
The MP, who represents South West Wiltshire, added that it could damage morale if “potentially unwilling” recruits were forced to serve alongside armed forces personnel.
However on Saturday, the prime minister announced plans to make 18-year-olds take part in a form of “mandatory” national service, either on a 12-month placement in the military or by doing volunteer work.
Follow The Independent’s live blog for all the latest news on the general election
Rishi Sunak proposed the introduction of national service for 18-year-olds (PA Wire)
The armed forces option would be selective – with some 30,000 placements for “the brightest and best”, the Conservatives said.
The prime minister added the programme would help unite society in an “increasingly uncertain world” and give young people a “shared sense of purpose”.
In a statement published on Thursday, after Mr Sunak had called a July 4 election, Mr Murrison had said: “If potentially unwilling national service recruits were to be obliged to serve alongside the professional men and women of our armed forces, it could damage morale, recruitment and retention and would consume professional military and naval resources.
“If, on the other hand, national service recruits were kept in separate units, it would be difficult to find a proper and meaningful role for them, potentially harming motivation and discipline.
“For all these reasons, there are no current plans for the restoration of any form of national service.”
Home secretary James Cleverly stressed teenagers would not be sent to jail for refusing to participate (PA Wire)
The Conservatives said they would establish a royal commission bringing in expertise from across the military and civil society to establish the details of what they described as the “bold” national service programme.
This would be with the aim of the first batch of participants taking part in the scheme in September 2025.
Home secretary James Cleverly stressed that teenagers would not be sent to jail for defying the Tories’ proposed “mandatory” scheme.
A Labour spokesperson said: “This is not a plan – it’s a review which could cost billions and is only needed because the Tories hollowed out the armed forces to their smallest size since Napoleon.
“Britain has had enough of the Conservatives, who are bankrupt of ideas, and have no plans to end 14 years of chaos. It’s time to turn the page and rebuild Britain with Labour.”
Defence minister ruled out return of National Service day after election called
Daniel Martin
Sun, 26 May 2024
Mr Murrison said it would hit recruitment and retention, consume resources and could harm motivation for recruits - PHIL NOBLE/AFP
A defence minister ruled out the return of National Service the day after Rishi Sunak called a general election, it has been revealed.
Rishi Sunak unveiled a key manifesto pledge at the weekend under which all 18-year-olds would take part in a mandatory scheme for military or non-military service.
But the previous Thursday, a day after the election was called, Andrew Murrison told a Tory MP that they would not introduce National Service in “any form”.
Mr Murrison responded to a written parliamentary question from Mark Pritchard: “To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the reintroduction of National Service on national security.”
Mr Sunak called the election on Wednesday, and on Thursday Mr Murrison’s reply was published.
He told Mr Pritchard that it would hit recruitment and retention, consume resources and could harm motivation for recruits.
“The government has no current plans to reintroduce National Service,” he said.
“Since 1963, when the last national servicemen were discharged, it has been the policy of successive governments that the best way of providing for the defence of our country is by maintaining professional armed forces staffed by volunteers.
“The demanding, increasingly technical, nature of defence today is such that we require highly trained, professional men and women in our regular and reserve armed forces, fully committed to giving their best in defending our country and its allies.”
He added: “If potentially unwilling National Service recruits were to be obliged to serve alongside the professional men and women of our Armed Forces, it could damage morale, recruitment and retention and would consume professional military and naval resources.
“If, on the other hand, National Service recruits were kept in separate units, it would be difficult to find a proper and meaningful role for them, potentially harming motivation and discipline. For all these reasons, there are no current plans for the restoration of any form of national service.”
Mr Murrison declined further comment.
One Tory MP told the Financial Times that his remarks did not apply to Mr Sunak’s scheme, which would have separate funding and would not be an additional burden on defence.
Under the manifesto pledge, there would be 30,000 selective military placements where “the brightest and best” would get involved in cyber security, logistics, or civil response operations full-time for a year.
Everyone else would do 25 days, or one weekend a month for a year, with non-military organisations including the fire service, the police, the NHS or charities.
In January, the head of the Army warned the public could need to be called up to fight if the UK were to go to war - but the government responded by dismissing talk of conscription.
General Sir Patrick Sanders stressed the need for the government to “mobilise the nation” in the event of war with Russia.
But Mr Sunak’s spokesman said hypothetical scenarios of a future potential conflict were not helpful and ruled out any move towards a conscription model for the Army.
Tory national service plan ‘sprung on candidates’, admits NI Minister Steve Baker
Northern Ireland Office minister Steve Baker (Liam McBurney/PA)
Northern Ireland Minister Steve Baker has admitted the Conservative Party’s national service proposal was “sprung on candidates”.
At the weekend Rishi Sunak launched a plan for a new form of compulsory national service for 18-year-old’s across the UK.
However, the idea has since faced a deluge of backlash and on Monday Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer dismissed the plan as a “teenage Dad’s Army”.
Writing on social media, Mr Baker has said the national service plan was “sprung” upon Tory candidates.
Read more
He suggested had it been a government policy, he would have had a say because of the particular sensitivities around Northern Ireland.
Military conscription has never applied in Northern Ireland, even before both the First and Second World Wars, and so far there are no details about what would happen here if the Conservatives form the next government and enact the proposal.
Yesterday it was reported the Royal Commission designing the plan would also “examine particular sensitivities regarding Northern Ireland” as part of implementing national service here.
He said: “Government policy would have been developed by ministers on the advice of officials and collectively agreed. I would have had a say on behalf of NI.
“But this proposal was developed by a political adviser or advisers and sprung on candidates, some of whom are relevant ministers.”
Local politicians were also critical of the idea.
Former Army captain and UUP leader Doug Beattie said that while parts of the policy could work, more money instead needs to be spent on defence infrastructure.
“The idea of civic service is an applaudable idea and should be explored to help reconnect some aspects of our society. However, mandatory military conscription is simply not practicable, particularly in Northern Ireland,” he said.
“Instead, the Government should concentrate on regular and reserve forces, defence infrastructure, particularly defence accommodation as well as renewing dwindling ammunition stocks, naval and air defensive assets.”
SDLP leader Colum Eastwood dismissed the policy idea out of hand.
“The finances don’t add up, and even if they did, if there is £2.5bn available, it should be going to young people who can’t find work, who are under employed or who can’t buy a house,” the Foyle MP said.
“This policy platform is unserious, unwanted and unworkable. How does Rishi Sunak think he will force kids in Northern Ireland to perform national service in the British Army or undertake ‘mandatory volunteering’ — a total contradiction in terms?"
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