General Election Thursday 4th July 2024

[C24]

Not a bad idea, it might result in less potholes along our roads.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labour_battalion

[Pune]

Conservatives plan to bring back mandatory National Service

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cpddxy9r4mdo

The Conservative Party has said it would bring back mandatory national service if it wins the general election.

It said 18-year-olds would have a choice of either joining the military full-time, or volunteering one weekend every month carrying out a community service.

The party is proposing a Royal Commission to consider the details but would plan for the first teenagers to take part in September 2025.

The cost is expected to be around £2.5bn per year.

Under the plans, young people could choose a full-time, 12-month placement in the armed forces or UK cyber defence, learning about logistics, cyber security, procurement or civil response operations.

Their other option would be to volunteer one weekend per month - or 25 days per year - in their community with organisations such as fire, police and the NHS.

Well this should put the cat amongst the pigeons!

Do they really think that will win them votes

[steamy]

considering the voting demographic of 18-25 yo's are the smallest voting group... it will be everyone else deciding (like the grey hair brigade with Brexit, where nearly 1 million who voted for Brexit were dead within 5 years :-D )

With increase in crime, lack of "first jobs" for teens, and a lot struggling with purpose and direction, there will be a lot of Mother's, Father's and Guardian's thinking "this might do some good for my son/daughter"...

Obviously you'll have scaremongers with the "I don't want them to be sent to fight Russia".... we'll be up shitcreek regardless if that happens, and it won't be just sons/daughters being sent at that point :-D

edit: you also still have plenty of Falkland's/end of Cold War era vets who think the younger generation are gone soft, and some military service will do them the world of good, who, are in the main voting demographic.... could be a stroke of genius by the Conservatives IMO, and could be used against Labour's, at best, lackluster defence strategies proposed so far... But you still have the argument of "look what the conservative have done to defence in the last 14years".

[baz1]

Absolutely spot on and well said. People still blame Labour for the state we're in, ignoring the last FOURTEEN (14) years of Tory 'power' making things worse.

My opinion is it's time for change. Whoever it is, it needs to be changed. Just because Starmer leads Labour, that can still change down the line.

yes Starmer's wing man the one been investigated over a house issue

[adderman]

If they want more voters then make it a weekend vote, Sat AND Sunday.
Less disruption for schools not having to close during the week, except half-term, inset days, strikes, weather and anything else I've missed.

Personally the manifestos should be legally binding, or at least make an attempt to get them through Parliament, rather than promise all and deliver zip.
Least it'll all be over in 6 weeks time. The recriminations start afterwards but those taxpayers will know our hard earned wonga will be used for all the pay-offs to the politicians on all sides who get dumped out.
Where else do you get so well rewarded for failure?

[EGDR]

While I sympathise with the idea of holding elections on days that are less affected by working schedules, it would not currently be legal to hold the election on a weekend. A change in the legislation would have to be passed by Parliament.

[TealRain]

considering the voting demographic of 18-25 yo's are the smallest voting group... it will be everyone else deciding (like the grey hair brigade with Brexit, where nearly 1 million who voted for Brexit were dead within 5 years :-D )

Q. What's funny or should make you smile about the death of someone, whatever their politics.

[steamy]

considering the voting demographic of 18-25 yo's are the smallest voting group... it will be everyone else deciding (like the grey hair brigade with Brexit, where nearly 1 million who voted for Brexit were dead within 5 years :-D )

Q. What's funny or should make you smile about the death of someone, whatever their politics.

The irony of a demographic swinging the vote on a topic they were never going to have to live through the repercussions of, and if taken today would be the opposite answer is absolutely hilarious to me....

if you want to make it personal to the people, rather than the topic, work away on being offended

[atech]

To be fair and balanced though, the million “grey haired brigade” who died are easily replaced by the new generation of nappy wearing electorate who will be given the right to vote by the Labour Party as soon as they reach kindergarten age.

[steamy]

You can already do it in Wales and Scotland... only NI and England who don't, which seems to be causing huge consternation, even though precedence is set.
You can join a political party at 16, but can't vote for them. You can join armed forces at 16 but not have a say in how the country is run (*** NI and England).

Although, if the conspiracies are to be believed.... the new photo ID requirement is going to segregate and stop the younger vote, as they won't have a passport or drivers licence to allow them to vote (even though just taking a few extra steps when registering will get you a free voters cert )

UK politics is better than a soap opera

[cat1]

This year labour don't seem to be prepared really.

With the Tories digging themselves a bit of a hole, they could have put on a good show and maybe won some seats, but they seem to be floundering around a bit.

Must admit I do like the mandatory service route, even if it is to just win votes.

Imagine the extra time the police and other services would have if you took all the 18 year olds of the streets and out of gangs, not to mention the MoD could use a few extra hands.

who knows how many could decide to make a career out of it?

[iainpeden]

If that fourth sentence read "Imagine the extra time the police and other services would have to take away from their already over stretched roles if they took all the 18 year olds" I think I'd have agreed with you.

I'm not against such a concept per se but it is no obviously a very recent back of the fag packet idea it's laughable (if it wasn't so serious.)

[atech]

You can join a political party at 16, but can't vote for them. You can join armed forces at 16 but not have a say in how the country is run

[

Just because you can do something in Scotland and Wales doesn’t make it a good litmus test for doing the same in England. The politicians that made those decisions did so more for their own interests (more votes) rather than any interest in increasing democracy.

Yes you can join the armed forces at 16 but you cannot serve overseas or in any combat zone until you reach the age of 18, at which point you re-attest and your term of service officially starts.

You cannot drive at 16, you cannot drink alcohol, smoke, have sex, marry without consent, sign legal documents, if you commit a crime, your case is dealt with by the juvenile authorities, and so on.

It used to be called the age of consent and which used to be 21, the age at which you were considered adult enough to be responsible for your own actions.

We have already lowered it once to 18, I see no evidence to suggest that it needs to be lowered again.

[baz1]

I have not heard anything from Starmer on security or defence or any mention of Trident and what he proposes to do, Corbin refused to use any Nuclear weapons.

[jonnewell]

You can join a political party at 16, but can't vote for them. You can join armed forces at 16 but not have a say in how the country is run

[

Just because you can do something in Scotland and Wales doesn’t make it a good litmus test for doing the same in England. The politicians that made those decisions did so more for their own interests (more votes) rather than any interest in increasing democracy.

Yes you can join the armed forces at 16 but you cannot serve overseas or in any combat zone until you reach the age of 18, at which point you re-attest and your term of service officially starts.

You cannot drive at 16, you cannot drink alcohol, smoke, have sex, marry without consent, sign legal documents, if you commit a crime, your case is dealt with by the juvenile authorities, and so on.

It used to be called the age of consent and which used to be 21, the age at which you were considered adult enough to be responsible for your own actions.

We have already lowered it once to 18, I see no evidence to suggest that it needs to be lowered again.

Remember having the talk to my son when he reached 18 about how he now has to take responsibility for his actions and he is an adult in the eyes of the law.

16 in my opinion is far too young for the vast majority of today's youth to vote.

[steamy]

You can join a political party at 16, but can't vote for them. You can join armed forces at 16 but not have a say in how the country is run

[

Just because you can do something in Scotland and Wales doesn’t make it a good litmus test for doing the same in England. The politicians that made those decisions did so more for their own interests (more votes) rather than any interest in increasing democracy.

Why don't they make a good test? Is England above Scotland and Wales?

That's generally the idea in an election, to get the most votes... like Cameron and his "Conservatives are good for pensioners" declarations yesterday... triple lock safety for the majority voting demographic... who picks up the bill though?

Yes you can join the armed forces at 16....

Thank you for confirming

You cannot drive at 16, you cannot drink alcohol, smoke, have sex, marry without consent, sign legal documents, if you commit a crime, your case is dealt with by the juvenile authorities, and so on.

These are very England oriented generalisations, some are actually untrue across the UK and some untrue in different parts of the UK. Tried as adult is also a thing.

It used to be called the age of consent and which used to be 21, the age at which you were considered adult enough to be responsible for your own actions.

We have already lowered it once to 18, I see no evidence to suggest that it needs to be lowered again.

I don't see why not, it's the lowest voting demographic anyway, only people I have seen get techy about it is the grey hair brigade.

[EGDR]

I have not heard anything from Starmer on security or defence or any mention of Trident and what he proposes to do, Corbin refused to use any Nuclear weapons.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68790435

[baz1]

Keir Starmer has said he has confidence in a Shadow Foreign office minister who said he would be
" Quite Happy " for Russia to be able to Hack into UK'S Trident Nuclear Missile System and render it Useless said Fabian Hamilton Sept 2019 at a rally. Mail on Sunday

[Gary]

When you think it couldn't get any worst for the Tories campaign. Sunak takes it to another level and leaves the D Day commemorations for a TV interview. At this stage I'm convinced the Tories have given up.

Just got back from Normandy so catching up with things

[Hurn]

When you think it couldn't get any worst for the Tories campaign. Sunak takes it to another level and leaves the D Day commemorations for a TV interview. At this stage I'm convinced the Tories have given up.

I don't know about the Tories in general, but Sunak seems to be doing his best to purposely get kicked out of office, like he doesn't want the job anymore.