On Sunday, May 26th, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that if the Conservative Party wins the national election on July 4th, all 18-year-old citizens of the UK will be required to undergo 12 months of military service or volunteer in the community to address the “increasingly uncertain world”.
During World War II, the UK implemented conscription for men and some women, and from 1947 to 1960, mandatory national service of 18 months was required for male citizens aged 17 to 21.
Since the abolition of national service and the shift to an all-volunteer armed forces (recruitment system), the size of the British military has been shrinking. Currently, there are about 73,000 professional soldiers in the UK, compared to approximately 100,000 in 2010.
Under this new plan, a small number of 18-year-olds (estimated at around 30,000 out of 700,000) will serve 12 months in the military, undertaking tasks such as logistics or cyber defense. The rest will volunteer one weekend a month for charities, community groups, or organizations such as hospitals, police, and fire services.
Sunak stated that the plan will help “instill a sense of common mission among our young people and rebuild our nation’s pride”.
It is still unclear how the plan will be implemented. Home Secretary James Cleverly mentioned that no one will be forced into military service.
Cleverly emphasized that the main goal of the new plan is not to strengthen military capabilities but to build “a society that interacts with people outside its own community, engaging with individuals from different backgrounds, religions, and income levels”.
The Conservative Party estimates the cost of the conscription plan to be £2.5 billion annually (about $3.2 billion). They stated that £1.5 billion (approximately $1.9 billion) will come from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to cover some of the expenses.
In January of this year, British Army Chief of Staff Patrick Sanders warned that the current UK population might be a “pre-war generation” and urged people to adjust their mindset and prepare for potential conflicts. He advocated for actively restoring military strength, enhancing national defense education, and establishing a “citizen army” to rapidly boost troop numbers in times of war.
He remarked, “The situation in Ukraine harshly illustrates that regular armies start wars, but citizen armies win them.”
However, Sanders’ remarks at the time did not receive support from Downing Street.
In the UK, general elections must occur at least every five years, and the Prime Minister can choose the timing within this period to hold elections. Sunak opted to call for early elections on July 4th last Wednesday, May 22nd.
The Conservative Party, in power for 14 years, is trailing behind the opposition Labour Party in opinion polls. Sunak is attempting to overcome the public’s desire for change.
In a few weeks, UK voters will elect members of the House of Commons for 650 seats, and the leader of the party with the majority of seats in the House of Commons will become the next Prime Minister.