Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's proposal for a compulsory national service for young people has sparked significant backlash. The plan, which aims to engage youth in community service and volunteering, has been criticized for being reactionary and out of touch. A notable incident involved a Devon teen questioning Sunak about his perceived disdain for young people, to which Sunak responded, 'Then you’ll love it!' This interaction and the broader policy have been met with ridicule and concern, with critics arguing that the initiative unfairly targets non-wealthy youth and uses them as political pawns. Andy Burnham has also criticized the plan. Patrick West commented that the phrase 'national service' sounds inherently reactionary.
Has @RishiSunak been flicking through the royal playbook for manifesto ideas? The Prime Minister’s plans for national service have a royal cheerleader in Prince Harry. My Sunday Times column today @thetimes 👇🏼 https://t.co/YSusPrJYle
Andy Burnham blasts Rishi Sunak for using young people as 'political pawns' https://t.co/LA07mmM9JF
'Rishi Sunak's National Service plan will have one benefit - getting teenagers out to vote' https://t.co/fEAQMZDwsI
The phrase ‘national service’ sounds inherently reactionary. No wonder Sunak’s new volunteering scheme has been met with such ridicule, says Patrick West https://t.co/okCYPQJ6kk
Devon teen asks PM Rishi Sunak 'why he hates young people' https://t.co/FKoghCgccL
'Rishi Sunak's barmy army idea is last straw for the no-hope youth of today' https://t.co/hvZ5xdY0hB https://t.co/oVP5gvs5tm
really hard to get over Rishi Sunak’s cheery, ‘Then you’ll love it’ reply to a young guy who’s *volunteered* all his life out of a goodwill, as opposed to having National Service & mandatory ‘volunteering’ imposed upon him
hard exactly what the worst of part Rishi Sunak’s response to a lad asking why he hates young people & wants to introduce National Service, but it’s probably when the lad says he’s volunteered all his life & Sunak replies, ‘Then you’ll love it!’ https://t.co/csdEi0Xio9
Why we all recoiled at Sunak’s ‘national service’ plan: https://t.co/okCYPQJ6kk
Young lad asks Sunak "Why do you hate young people so much ?" To be fair He only hates the ones who aren't rich! Gap yahs for them National Service for the rest #NotLongNow https://t.co/H9koYRrExr
The way Rishi Sunak brushed past this young man and his question was all the answer he needed. @rishiSunak thinks you're beneath his contempt, mate, you and all young people https://t.co/U7SiVNxJGh
Sunak: “Do you want a photo!” Hero: “No, I want to know why you hate young people so much.” Sunak: “I don’t.” Hero: “So why compulsory national service? I’ve volunteered all my life.” Sunak: “Well then you’ll love it!” 🙈🙈🙈🙈 Oh my goodness. ~AA https://t.co/iMbNVIeG4j
Opinion | When I first heard that Rishi Sunak had floated the idea of young people engaging with community service and volunteering, I thought he had stolen a Labour policy 🖊️ @LordBlunkett https://t.co/Wz76olilaW