SNP urge ‘Scottish National Service’ to vote against Rishi Sunak’s Tories
SNP candidate Richard Thomson made the plea after the Prime Minister announced plans for a new national service scheme for 18 year olds.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The SNP is urging voters to complete a “Scottish National Service” – by voting against Rishi Sunak and his Conservatives.
It comes after the Prime Minister announced that if he wins the July 4 General Election, he will bring in a new policy which would see 18-year-olds either having to join the military for 12 months or voluntary work for one weekend a month for a year.
That could see teenagers either helping local fire, police and NHS services, or potentially working with charities tackling loneliness and supporting elderly people.
Speaking about his first major policy pledge of the campaign, Mr Sunak said the initiative would help unite society in an “increasingly uncertain world” and give young people a “shared sense of purpose”.
However, SNP candidate for Gordon and Buchan Richard Thomson claimed the “Sunak service” proposed by the Tories would take the country “back to the 1950s”.
He said: “Not content with destroying the hopes and aspirations of a generation of young people, the Tories now want to take them back to the 1950s with their National Service plans.
“Scotland wants no part in a Sunak service, which the Tories have even admitted will slash tens of millions of pounds of ‘shared prosperity’ funding to Scotland.”
Mr Thomson added: “With the SNP the main challenger in every Tory-held seat, we are asking Scottish voters to raise your pens, vote SNP, and do your Scottish National Service to boot the Tories out.
“Douglas Ross may think this a great opportunity for our young people, but the greatest opportunity they have is on July 4 when they can boot out Tory MPs by voting SNP.”