• The UK has so much to be proud of as a country, but we also need to be open about the long-term challenges we face – including how generations of young people don’t have the opportunities they deserve.

• That is why the Conservatives will introduce a bold new model of National Service for 18-year-olds to be spent either in a competitive, full-time military placement over 12 months, or spend the equivalent of one weekend a month (25 days a year) volunteering for the community. This will give young people real world skills, while contributing to their country and community.

• The Conservatives’ plan will ensure the youngest generations, and the country as a whole, meet the challenges of an uncertain world. Sir Keir Starmer and Labour don’t have a clear plan and won’t take the bold action needed to navigate to a more secure future.

Simon Fell has welcomed the Conservatives’ new mandatory National Service for every 18-year-old, giving young people the opportunities they deserve to secure a brighter future amidst a more uncertain world.

By introducing a bold new model of mandatory National Service, every 18-year-old will either spend a full year in a competitive, full-time military placement or UK cyber defence, or spend the equivalent of one weekend a month (25 days a year) volunteering in a civic role. Individuals will be able to choose between roles in our communities, including in local infrastructure, the NHS, and the RNLI.

This will give young people across the country the opportunities they deserve to gain the valuable life skills they need, making our country more secure and building a stronger national culture.

This will be funded through the Conservatives’ clear plan to raise an additional £6 billion a year by the end of the next Parliament from cracking down on tax avoidance and evasion, of which £1 billion will be allocated to the National Service, in addition to the remaining £1.5 billion previously used for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

This is on top of the Conservatives’ bold action to increase defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2030, the biggest strengthening of our national defence in a generation, maintaining our leading position in NATO and supporting our Armed Forces.

Only Rishi Sunak and the Conservatives have a clear plan to support the youngest generations and will take the bold action needed to deliver the opportunities they rightfully deserve in a more uncertain world.

Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour have no clear plan to strengthen our defence or support our young people and won’t take the bold action needed to navigate to a more secure future. Labour do not support increasing defence to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2030, putting a £75 billion investment in the UK’s defence at risk, and they would slash the number of apprenticeships across the country in half – putting our national security and the future of our young people at risk.

Simon Fell said:

“We have so much to proud of in Britain but, one of the problems we face is that too many young people don’t get the opportunities they deserve.

“The National Citizen Service is already up and running and makes a huge difference to the lives of young people in Furness, and this extension will help even more, while supporting society at the same time. I’ve spent a good deal of my time as Furness’ MP working with amazing groups from Vision Support Barrow & District, to Duddon Inshore Rescue, or Community First Responders – they all want volunteers and I hope that this proposal will help support those essential parts of civic society while giving young people some valuable experience and skills too.

“Where this scheme runs elsewhere in Europe it is very successful, and I believe it should be here too. Only the Conservatives can be trusted with the future of our young people and our country. Labour would take us back to square one, placing both at risk.”

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

“This is a great country but generations of young people have not had the opportunities or experience they deserve and there are forces trying to divide our society in this increasingly uncertain world.

“I have a clear plan to address this and secure our future. I will bring in a new model of National Service to create a shared sense of purpose among our young people and a renewed sense of pride in our country.

“This new, mandatory National Service will provide life-changing opportunities for our young people, offering them the chance to learn real world skills, do new things and contribute to their community and our country.”