To think we are being lined up for something?

[BeverForget]

I work in food supply chain.
Four of the 'big' grocery retailers have just asked to renegotiate at least four weeks min supply, as opposed to two.
This happened in Feb 2020 as well.
Lots of rhetoric about being on a war footing, from politicos.
And then Sunak essentially jumping ship yesterday, as though he knows there is a crisis on the horizon that he wants no part of.
There is no way that the Tories have a prayer in a July election.
So what do they know that they aren't telling us?

The problem with a national service scheme in the current context is that it looks like cannon fodder recruitment rather than a genuine opportunity for young people. Why is it only being discussed seriously now that we are in a new Cold War? Hardly makes it something to get behind.

I also think any non-voluntary scheme is anti-democratic. It won't suit all young people. Voluntary opportunities to service the community (or armed forces if that's your bag) is one thing but forced conscription? Iffy

We could get them litter picking.

The amount of litter in this country is a disgrace and if it became the norm that everyone spent a few weekends in their youth picking it up then people might stop dropping it all over the place.

Btw, Rishi's kids won't be forced to do it as they'll be whisked off to the US the minute he's out of office

@SaltyLemons I assume if they still live here they won’t do it either as more than likely will go to university

As soon as there is a risk for my child to be used as a potential cannon fodder, I'll be out of this country.

Yep the timing of this announcement is inevitable going to make it feel like this is what it's for

"Citizenship comes with obligations" he says. Forgetting to add "just not ours to you"

Indeed, I am not letting them use my children.

Or we could go back to properly funded councils who have enough money to clean the streets.

Almost all street litter is accidental - blown from bins, spilt etc.

Why should young people be made to clear up other people's mess.

You could set up a volunteers group any time you wanted.

No, people need to stop dropping litter. Some street litter might be accidental but that on roadside verges and in the countryside isn't. People throw it from cars or just drop it.

And prevention is better than cure. Why should councils spend millions picking it up when people could just not drop it in the first place?

Young people shouldn't be forced.

It's like saying let's force pensioners to pick it up.

Volunteer groups would be better.

I’m so tired of people rubbishing any sort of critical thinking as paranoia, you literally work in the food supply chain, you’re telling us what you have been instructed AND you’re saying the same happened in 2020. Context, experience and hindsight.
No you’re not being paranoid, yes we are being prepared for something but I don’t feel comfortable airing my thoughts on MN 😂

Yes, we need a technical second chamber with requisite expertise

What are your thoughts?

Not everyone on Mumsnet just laughs at people's opinions.

Yes, yes, yes

I haven’t RTFT but driving past M20 in Kent yesterday the lorry stack is back to bad levels again even though they’ve built other reception centres since the worst days a few years ago, so I do wonder about borders/Brexit rules. Could also be bank holiday of course! I’m only an occasional visitor to Kent though so don’t know if any locals can shed any more light.

Why don’t you and your family all take a year out to pick up litter? Also why should only teens do it? If rubbish is a roadside verge, it’s because adults have thrown it out of their care. Stop volunteering other people’s children.

It's always shit when it's a busy holiday. They closed the tunnel on the M20/A20 just as it comes out of Folkestone because queues in tunnels are dangerous so everywhere around here was broken. DD missed ballet because it took us an hour to get there instead of the usual 20 minutes.

It's happened before and will happen again. That's the fault of the that's who voted for Brexit. It isn't more sinister.

I thought that might be the case - utterly sh*t for you guys as locals. I don’t know how anyone can drive down the M20 and not see Brexit for the farce it is!

Quite!

I would prefer for the emergency services to be appropriately funded than teenagers mucking in at the weekend

Ha ha - too true

Well indeed. We can but dream.

In fairness though many countries do mandatory national service and it largely works well (thinking Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Israel - current circumstances aside clearly on the last one). I think a level of preparedness and resilience in our younger population would be no bad thing.

What I can say with near certainty is that the Tories would absolutely fuck up the delivery of a policy like this.

I think we can drop the "near" ! The hope is Sir Keir can create a unified nation with hope for everyone, and a country that works for all in terms of jobs, housing, healthcare and security. In that sort of environment many more folks would be up for societal initiatives that require sacrifice and commitment. A huge ask and particlualy diffcult if there's no money left. The problem with the Tories is they have effectively destroyed most of what we like to regard as society and public institutions. So even if they said it was Sunday we wouldn't believe them.

You sat in a cafe before Covid hit the UK, and then the next day everywhere was closed? And yet people say UK locked down too late?
Plus, as PP said, hardly anyone actually ended up needing six months worth of beans.