UK: Tory minister criticises National Service plan he says was 'sprung on' MPs
A Government minister appeared to criticise Rishi Sunak’s National Service plan as he said it was “sprung on” MPs.
Rishi Sunak made the first major policy announcement of the general election campaign over the weekend, confirming 18-year-olds would face either a year on a military placement or one weekend of each month volunteering.
But Steve Baker, a minister of state at the Northern Ireland Office, noted a defence minister ruled out the return of National Service the day after Rishi Sunak called a general election.
Writing on X, formerly Twitter, Mr Baker said: It’s a Conservative Party policy. The Government’s policy was set out on Thursday. I don’t like to be pedantic but a Government policy would have been developed by ministers on the advice of officials and collectively agreed. I would have had a say on behalf of Northern Ireland.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/05/27/general-election-live-rishi-sunak-speech-starmer-service/
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