Why does Rishi Sunak want to conscript teenagers?
The News Agents
Global
4.1 • 5.4K Ratings
🗓️ 26 May 2024
⏱️ 33 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
The News Agents has new episodes every Sunday as we run-up to July 4th's UK General Election.
We react as Lewis speaks to Home Secretary James Cleverly about why the Conservatives now want to introduce national service for every UK teenager, and we discuss whether election coverage provides a disproportionately large platform to minor parties with fringe views.
Editor: Tom Hughes
Senior Producer: Gabriel Radus
Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell
Video Production: Rory Symon & Arvind Badewal
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The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | The Newsagents podcast is brought to you by HSBC UK, opening up a world of opportunity. |
| 0:08.8 | This is a global player original podcast. |
| 0:15.0 | Who do you think you are kidding, Mr Hitler? |
| 0:19.8 | If you think we're all over. |
| 0:21.3 | Okay, Rishi Sunak is not re-establishing the Home Guard. |
| 0:25.8 | But he does, it seems, want to reintroduce national service for 18-year-olds so that they can be |
| 0:33.3 | conscripted into the army for a year so that they can blanco their belts and brasso the buckles |
| 0:39.3 | and polish their boots. How can it be that we are coming to the end of this first week of the |
| 0:45.4 | general election and the Conservative Party is talking about reintroducing something, national |
| 0:50.3 | service, conscription that was abolished in 1960. What is Rishi Sunak playing at? |
| 0:57.6 | Welcome to a special General Election Sunday edition of the Newsagents. |
| 1:04.9 | The Newsagents. It's John. It's Lewis. And here's the Prime Minister. |
| 1:09.9 | We have so much to be proud of in Britain, but one of the problems in our society is that |
| 1:14.7 | we have generations of young people who don't have the opportunities they deserve. |
| 1:19.7 | Britain today faces a future that is more dangerous and more divided. |
| 1:24.2 | There's no doubt our democratic values are under threat. |
| 1:31.3 | That is why we will introduce a bold new model of national service for 18-year-olds, to be spent either in a competitive, full-time military commission over 12 months, |
| 1:36.3 | or, with one weekend per month, volunteering in roles within the community, |
| 1:41.3 | like delivering prescriptions in food to infirm people, or in search and rescue. |
| 1:47.1 | Young people will gain valuable skills, make our country more secure, and build a stronger national culture. |
| 1:54.4 | This ambition benefits our country and our young people alike. |
| 1:57.9 | Nice upbeat announcement there from the Prime Minister. |
... |
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