Politics
General Election 2024: Sunak ‘to double down on National Service plan’ as Tories and Labour focus on security
Rishi Sunak is expected to continue championing his controversial plans to revive National Service by urging employers to prioritise job applicants who have served time in the military.
The prime minister said all 18-year-olds would be made to undertake a form of “mandatory” National Service if the Conservatives are re-elected on 4 July.
Despite growing criticism of the plans – which Tories estimate would cost £2.5bn a year by the end of the decade – the Financial Times reports the prime minister is set to double down.
Mr Sunak said one way to “get the most out of National Service” would be to encourage bosses to “consider those who complete the armed forces placement during job applications”, the paper reports.
Critics from across the political divide have dismissed the plan as unserious, while leading military figures are sceptical over how it would work.
But Mr Sunak will hope his pledge could boost his bid to narrow a yawning gap in the polls between the Tories and Labour as campaigning enters the first full week.
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Is National Service a good idea?
Security will also be the focus of the day for Labour, with Sir Keir Starmer expected to say in a keynote speech “economic security, border security, and national security” will form the “bedrock” of the party manifesto.
“The very foundation of any good government is economic security, border security, and national security,” the Labour leader is expected to say.
“This is the foundation, the bedrock that our manifesto and our first steps will be built upon.”
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Acknowledging some voters may be unsure of Labour’s credentials around national security, he is expected to say: “Whatever the polls say, I know there are countless people who haven’t decided how they’ll vote in this election.
“They’re fed up with the failure, chaos and division of the Tories but they still have questions about us.
“Has Labour changed enough? Do I trust them with my money, our borders and our security?
“My answer is yes you can – because I have changed this party. Permanently. This has been my driving mission since day one.”
Voters can trust Labour on security matters, Starmer says. Pic: PA
According to The Times, Labour would bring together MI5, police and Whitehall departments to carry out a 100-day review of all the threats that Britain faces, including from Russia and Iran, if it wins the election.
Campaigning for the election is expected to ramp up in the coming week.
Sir Ed Davey will be north of the border launching the Scottish Liberal Democrat campaign with Scottish leader Alex Cole-Hamilton.