Piers Morgan says teenagers ‘misplaced finest years of their lives’ and deserve ‘service’

Piers Morgan says teens threatened with national service under a controversial new plan by the Tories deserve a “service” from their country.

Shortly after announcing the General Election for July 4, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak vowed to resurrect a form of the national service scheme should the Conservatives win. Under the current guise, it would be mandatory for 18-year-olds to take part in either military training or community volunteering.

The PM’s bid to force 18-year-olds into the military or voluntary work would swell the military by 30,000 to 160,000. But it would mean almost 20% of the overall number would be on National Service, raising questions about its effectiveness.

Last night, during an appearance on BBC’s Question Time, Piers Morgan joined the ranks questioning the proposal of bringing back national service, which ended in 1960. He told the audience: “This is a generation who lost years, the best years of their lives.

“They were banned from going to parties by a group of people who then had a number of elicit parties themselves in the heart of government. These are people who now can’t afford to rent because it’s too expensive. They can’t afford to buy a home, they can’t afford to buy food, they can’t even afford to go to the pub. They face punitive tuition fees for decades if they get to higher education.

“They probably won’t ever earn as much money as their parents, they can’t see doctors, can’t see dentists, they can’t go to A&E without a 15-hour wait. They can’t even go to the sea and have a swim without being covered in sewage and this is what we’ve given this generation.

“So when we talk about national service and then do their duty to their country, why don’t we start with a bit of service to them and showing them a bit of duty to safeguard their future.”

According to the World Population Review, 80 countries globally currently have some form of national service or conscription in place. In total, 66 counties have made military service mandatory. The Prime Minister said of his idea: “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.”