"The plan to reintroduce National Service was drawn up in secret, with only Mr Sunak's close advisers – understood to include former Tory leader William Hague – privy to the details.
In their confidential 40-page plan, the advisers argued that the growing international threats posed by countries such as Russia and China needed to be addressed by beefing up our Armed Forces – as did the listlessness of many young adults
Nearly 750,000 18 to 24-year-olds are currently out of work, and this age group is disproportionately represented in the criminal justice system.
The civic roles would include supporting flood defences and communities during natural disasters, NHS support roles, fire safety work, or signing up for the RNLI or mountain search and rescue."
And from the article:
"To those who complain that making it mandatory is unreasonable, I say: citizenship brings with it obligations as well as rights. Being British is about more than just the queue you join at passport control.
To be clear, our new National Service is not conscription. The vast majority of those who do it will not serve in our Armed Forces. Only those who choose to, and come through the tough entrance tests, will do that.
But what everyone will do is contribute to our country. From first aid to helping the housebound and lonely, to search and rescue, every 18-year-old will learn new skills while simultaneously contributing to our society."