First-time voters in Portsmouth have slammed Rishi Sunak’s “stupid” national service election pledge

A-level politics students in Pompey who will be voting in their first general election on July 4 expressed strong opinions on the Conservatives’ plan to require 18-year-olds to participate in a form of national service.

The proposal would mean young people, by law, would have to take part in either a community or military programme for a year when they turn 18. Senior Tories have mentioned non-criminal sanctions for those who refuse to participate.

The community scheme would see teenagers spend one weekend a month volunteering with public bodies or local infrastructure while the military programme would offer 30,000 placements in areas including logistics and cyber security.

Lauren Chamberlain, an 18-year-old student at City of Portsmouth College in Tangier Road, raised concerns about the financial impact of national service. The scheme has yet to confirm whether it offers financial support or reimbursement.

“If I take a weekend off every month, I won’t be able to pay my car insurance, pay off my loans, or pay rent,” she said. “I won’t be able to afford all that and go to university at the same time.

“How am I supposed to have time to study, work, and do national service? It’s not fair.

“I get why the Conservatives are doing it, to appeal to older voters.”

Joshua Wall, also 18, described the scheme as an “infringement on our freedoms” that would impact young people’s choices to study, get an apprenticeship, or start working.

Robin Gilmour, another 18-year-old student, called the concept of national service an attempt by the government to make young people “fix the problems they’ve made in society over the last 14 years”.

“It just feels ironic and stupid,” he added.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said the scheme would foster a “shared sense of purpose” in young people with a renewed pride in the country.

Home Secretary James Cleverly said it would help young people get out of their digital or social “bubble” which he believes too many inhabit.

He added that the government wants to mix young people with those in different areas, economic groups, and religions to address “the kind of fragmentation that we see too much of”.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has called the policy “desperate” and compared it to a “teenage Dad’s Army”.