wtfffff. even for my American butt, that sounds crazy. a government forcing its citizens to conduct a year of national service strikes me like some medieval or fascist level stuff.
Sounds like a great way to further undercut public services while turning young people against the Torries. Make this shit retroactively apply to everyone serving in government and I'd have no problem with it. Fuck legislation that by design will never touch them.
I know they havent said what the punishments would be for non-compliance (Fines? Witholding of public services?), but without jail time attached to it, that just tells me the rich folks are gonna pay their way out (as usual), and those without the means are stuck getting totally-not-drafted.
Nothing but pie in the sky desperate reaching. Young people don't vote tory so they're not losing any votes. Old people who did national service almost exclusively vote tory already so they don't factor in.
It's the 50-70 demographic who never did national service themselves who sit at the bar down the local complaining about how young people have no respect completely forgetting that they were punks, mods, rockers and skinheads when they were growing up.
Here in Finland we had this kinda thing forever and it’s actually quite popular, so not going to change anytime soon. However, the main issue is that it’s mandatory only for men and excluding some groups like Jehovas Withnesses and those residing in Åland islands.
EDIT: And there is criminal penalties if you refuse. However, no more prison I believe, but a house arrest order rather.