Threat of driving licence factors should you refuse nationwide service torn aside

Rishi Sunak has been accused of having “contempt for young drivers” after threatening to take away their driving licences if they refuse to do national service.

The PM suggested last week he was “looking at driving licences” as a punishment for not taking part in his compulsory scheme – which include doing military service or volunteering. The Tories are also said to be looking at adding points to people’s licences if they refuse to participate.

Labour’s Shadow Transport Secretary Louise Haigh has now written to her Tory counterpart Mark Harper demanding to know why the Conservatives are targeting young drivers. She highlighted shocking driving test waiting times of up to six months as well as soaring insurance costs and branded the latest policy as “yet another example of how your party has totally failed drivers, especially young ones”.

As part of his election offer, Mr Sunak announced he wanted to bring back a “mandatory” form of national service. Under the Tory plan, when teens reach the age of 18, they would be forced to complete either 12 months of service in the military or UK cyber defence or “volunteer” for the equivalent of one weekend per month – 25 days per year – in their community.

The PM was last week grilled on how he will punish 18-year-olds who fail to take part in his scheme. As he appeared on a BBC Question Time special on Wednesday, he said: “Well you’ll have a set of sanctions and incentives, and we’ll look at the models that are existing around Europe to get the appropriate mix of those.” Pressed to give examples, he said: “There’s all sorts of things that people do around Europe, whether that’s looking at driving licences, other access to finance, all sorts of other things.”

Keir Starmer earlier this month said he will look at the driving tests crisis if he becomes PM. The Labour leader admitted “we’ve got to sort out the situation in relation to tests” as young people wait months for tests. He said it was necessary to ensure there are enough skilled driving instructors “to provide the lessons they need”.

In her letter, Ms Haigh wrote: “It is hard to interpret this proposal as anything other than yet another example of the Conservatives’ contempt for young drivers. National Service is a desperate, discredited and unfunded commitment from a party that has run out of ideas, and this latest development will be of great concern to young people across the country.

“Passing your driving test and getting the keys to your first car is a life-changing moment. Cars can be a lifeline. They help connect friends and relatives, and open up new opportunities – both personal and professional. That’s why this proposal is an insult, and yet another example of how your party has totally failed drivers, especially young ones. Whether it’s soaring car insurance costs, driving test waiting times of up to six months, the shocking state of our roads, or the failure to roll out public charging points – you and your government have repeatedly failed drivers.”

Louise Haigh’s letter in full

I am writing to you following Rishi Sunak’s comments during last Thursday’s leaders’ debate regarding National Service and drivers. In response to a question on penalties for not undertaking National Service, the Prime Minister referred to a process of sanctions and incentives including “looking at driving licences”. Subsequently there have been media reports, confirmed by a Conservative source, that one such “likely” sanction on the table is the imposition of points on the driving licences of those who refuse to participate in National Service.

It is hard to interpret this proposal as anything other than yet another example of the Conservatives’ contempt for young drivers. National Service is a desperate, discredited and unfunded commitment from a party that has run out of ideas, and this latest development will be of great concern to young people across the country.

Passing your driving test and getting the keys to your first car is a life-changing moment. Cars can be a lifeline. They help connect friends and relatives, and open up new opportunities – both personal and professional. That’s why this proposal is an insult, and yet another example of how your party has totally failed drivers, especially young ones. Whether it’s soaring car insurance costs, driving test waiting times of up to six months, the shocking state of our roads, or the failure to roll out public charging points – you and your government have repeatedly failed drivers.

As the Secretary of State for Transport, do you agree with Rishi Sunak that young people should have their licence revoked or restricted because of refusal to take part in National Service? If not, what action will you take to ensure that young drivers are not further punished by a Conservative Government if they refuse to take up National Service? I would appreciate a timely response – young people deserve to know the answers to these questions ahead of polling day on 4 July.