Sunak’s National Service Plan Faces Funding, Enforcement Questions
- Home secretary says those who skip service won’t face charges
- Labour’s Rachel Reeves dismisses plan as unfunded ‘gimmick’
Rishi Sunak inspects a passing out parade in Cattrick, England.Photographer: Molly Darlington/WPA Pool/Getty Images
By
Alex Wickham and
Alicia Diaz
May 26, 2024 at 5:00 AM GMT+8
Updated on
May 27, 2024 at 5:00 AM GMT+8
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s campaign promise to revive national service for young Britons came under immediate scrutiny over how the £2.5 billion ($3.2 billion) plan would be funded and enforced.
While Sunak captured the front pages of British newspapers with his surprise call to compel 18-year-olds into military or community service, his home secretary, James Cleverly, acknowledged hours later that those who skip out won’t face criminal charges. The admission raised questions about how the Conservatives will enforce the program if they managed to overcome a significant poll gap and beat Labour in the general election on July 4.
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