birchesgreen
Established Member
That is maybe true but its a two way street.
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UK General Election 2024
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Oh definitely. It's easy to see why people, especially young ones, might not feel a sense of civic duty when they feel the current government is acting against their interests such as making them eligible for tax and military service but not something as simple as the right to vote because suddenly they're too immature to make such a decision. Keir Starmer would definitely be in the right spot to change that and lower the voting age to 16, if nothing else just to bring it in line with what else they have to do.
While they're at it, why don't they bring back the Home Guard for us oldies. I volunteer to be Corporal Jones!
Halwynd
Member
edwin_m
Veteran Member
Time to go and tell the Tories they must not panic. But they don't like it up 'em.
brad465
Established Member
An FT journalist has shared a particular comment made on the site about the National Service policy:
x.com
x.com
x.com
Reader suggestion to expand the national service idea
(The comment says this:"How about national service for pensioners? Make people do a year’s service for their country before they get their triple-locked pension. The oldies think that national service 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? Loneliness among the elderly is a big problem, so national service is practically a public health intervention.")
Fermiboson
Member
This "eye of the beholder" character is a notorious tankie. But in this instance, he is right.
HSTEd
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A large fraction of under 30s can't vote, of course.
The number of 18-30 year olds is about the same as the number of 66+ people.
Pedantry corner it was Pike's name that went on the list.
HSTEd
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I am skeptical parents will really care about the young being made to do unpaid labour in care homes and the like. (They claim its for fire and police etc, but in reality thats where they will end up).
But I agree this is about keeping the pensioner vote on side, if they do so they will not lose too badly.
And a large fraction of the over 60's can't vote either. So as a move it's more than likely neutral overall - it will appeal to as many voters as it loses.
What is about that large fraction of the over 60's that makes them can't vote? I ask as I'm old, but still intend to vote.
gg1
Established Member
Additionally it's a fallacy of the right that virtually everyone who did national service thought it was worthwhile. My late father considered it a complete waste of 18 months of his life, and anecdotally that wasn't an uncommon viewpoint at the time.
HSTEd
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What large fraction of over 60s can't vote?
I'm not aware of a legal bar on them voting.
Reliablebeam
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There's some comment from journalists on Twitter (or X) that this suggestion does indeed come from focus groups suggesting it would play well with a 'Reform' demographic...
I think we can make some educated guesses as to how this would actually pan out if implemented (unlikely) -
I think we can make some educated guesses as to how this would actually pan out if implemented (unlikely) -
- It would be outsourced to companies owned by whatever crony is close to the Tories at that moment in time. An utter shambles would result with lots of trousering of our taxpayers hard earned, probably badged as 'Great British' and 'world beating'
- The shambolic nature of said 'Great British' scheme would lead to serious safeguarding problems, probably culminating in a few serious incidents involving elderly care home residents and unmotivated, aggravated 'yoot'
- Daily Mail goes on a whinge fest and changes editorial line to make out they never supported it and want it scrapped...
Halwynd
Member
Ian Lavender was on celebrity mastermind and when asked his name fellow contestant Rick Wakeman called out "don't tell him Pike!".
HSTEd
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Next time they will just get a postal ballot and vote anyway.
Gloster
Established Member
The focus group asked a random selection of (seventy year-old Conservative) voters (in Tunbridge Wells). They got 95% approval for the policy (as opposed to the alternative of being ritually disembowelled in the soft furnishings department of John Lewis. The other 5% (one in twenty) replied, “No, thank you. I had one but the wheels fell off.”)
Fermiboson
Member
In any case it’s logistically completely impractical. The army doesn’t have the funds, equipment or facilities to accomodate an influx of ill-motivated conscripts. The British military has never been and will never be set up as an officer-heavy conscript army.
The alternative of mandated community service will, of course, be a corrupt scandal which, in the worst case, will result in horrors like certain American boarding schools or correctional facilities.
The alternative of mandated community service will, of course, be a corrupt scandal which, in the worst case, will result in horrors like certain American boarding schools or correctional facilities.
As it was the Tories who introduced Universal Credit, there's going to be a certain irony to any working-age Tory MP ejected by voters on July 4th then having to sign up for it the following week, together with all of the associated conditionality. That would be karma of the highest order.
TheSmiths82
Member
I think they have really lost the plot with this national service policy. If anything it might encourage young voters to go and cast a vote for anybody but the Tories. I can see it now the "Sodexo National Service" with IT systems run by Infosys.
It really does seem the elderly like punishing young people, but they forget it will be the young people looking after them when they become ill. I am in my 40's and I think this policy is ludicrous and could be very damaging for the mental health of young people if they are forced to join something they don't want to. I really need to start making some videos to let my rants out : D
It really does seem the elderly like punishing young people, but they forget it will be the young people looking after them when they become ill. I am in my 40's and I think this policy is ludicrous and could be very damaging for the mental health of young people if they are forced to join something they don't want to. I really need to start making some videos to let my rants out : D
birchesgreen
Established Member
I bet they'll promise to bring back capital punishment next week.
The BBC are now quoting examples of the community service the Tories apparently have in mind - delivering meals to the elderly and delivering prescriptions.
Yes, I'd happily let a disaffected unmotivated 18 year old loose with a load of prescription drugs, and I'd love one to have access to my frail parents' home
Yes, I'd happily let a disaffected unmotivated 18 year old loose with a load of prescription drugs, and I'd love one to have access to my frail parents' home
Gloster
Established Member
…for voting Labour or being nice to foreigners.
Shaw S Hunter
Established Member
And for true pedantry the line was "Your name also will go on the list..."