To be baffled at Rishis National Service Plan

[frankentall]

I have never voted Tory and don't intend to start at this election. Maybe it is due to my late father who did National Service who was vehmently opposed to it, but even allowing for the idea - surely it simply isn't practical. How has he cooked up such a batshit idea?

You cannot, by definition, be forced to volunteer.

@CovertPiggery wasn't job seekers "volunteering" that Work Fare scheme or whatever it was called?
The problem with that was it had people doing unpaid work ("volunteering") in something that should have been a paid job - like supermarket shelf filling etc.
It was a con.

Exactly, but it would get them the voters they're trying to appeal to I think.

I'm glad they came up with an even more ridiculous idea so less people are tricked into voting for them.

@CovertPiggery I am not entirely sure why you are asking me, as I have nothing to do with the delivery of the scheme!

Well, I’m super pleased with this proposal as it has actually made my lifelong Tory-voting parents pissed off! My dad just missed National Service and was always very thankful-he doesn’t want his 15 year old GC having to end up doing any sorted of forced bullshit vanity project.

Every cloud and all that.

I didn't think you were in charge of it 😁

You thought it was a great idea and should be rolled out further, so I assumed you'd have thought that through and even a little about how it would work. 🤷🏼‍♀️

@CovertPiggery and I have explained my thoughts on that earlier on.

I’m not.baffled by it however, the people directly impacted don’t vote for the Tories. I don’t like what I perceive as ageism on Mumsnet but I do think in this case broadly the pattern of popularity for this is likely to increase with age. The voting pattern for the Tories has such a marked age split, I think they are exploiting the age divide in the UK and further damaging social cohesion while claiming to be doing the opposite.

It should be extended to all age groups. At the moment it seems to be targeting an age group that can't vote. It would be interesting to see if making NS compulsory for everyone affects the popularity of the measure.

I’m not.baffled by it however, the people directly impacted don’t vote for the Tories.

The people directly impacted can’t vote at all.

As is, and will always be the case with many issues.

Not if Labour get in, and give a vote to 16 and 17 year olds. As least they can try and balance out the old gimmers trying to pull the ladder away.

I haven’t seen a good explanation yet as to why everyone who hasn’t yet done it can’t do if it’s such a great thing.

That won’t stop legislation being passed that affects 14/15 year olds further down the line!

This will be brilliant-bring it on.

But ALL adults are selfish, not just the 18 year old ones. Why should 18 year olds be singled out?

I do think there should be more schemes for useful work experience, but nobody should be compelled to do it.

@WinterMorn So my unselfish decent teens have to go and be indoctrinated and live cheeky by jowl with low lifes because you are generalising an entire generation?

@parkrun500club it should be expanded out

Please, show me where I have done that? Also, it’s interesting that you accuse me of generalising but are happy to label those who aren’t your “decent teens” as “low lives” 🤷‍♀️

I haven’t seen any evidence that 18 year olds are more selfish than 30 year olds.

Why can’t we address this horrible pervasive selfishness by applying this scheme to everyone if the point is to address that. What’s the point in focussing on only 1.5% of the adult population every year? In ten years time 15% of the population will be altruistic angels while the remaining 85% of us will still be monstrous selfish fuckers. I for one am a massive shitbag and it would do me a world of good.

I don't think it is occurred to them that it will mean a year of enforced unemployment for 18 year olds, and mean that only those who don't need jobs can go to university. Or maybe the plan is to get rid of any notions of self improvement. Know your place plebs!

It would be great if everyone did it!

It's clearly thought up by people who cannot fathom that a student may need a weekend job to afford food, rather than as good experience or something for their cv.

How exactly will it mean a year of enforced unemployment for 18 year olds?