REVEALED: The thousands of teenagers in Cornwall who could be forced to do national service

An army of more than 800,000 18-year-olds could be ordered to join the Armed Forces or do voluntary work under Rishi Sunak’s plan to bring back compulsory national service. And it would include more than 6,500 young people from Cornwall.
Under the Tory scheme, which is due to be fully in place by 2029-30, if Mr Sunak wins the election, all 18-year-olds will be legally required to accept either a 12-month placement in the armed forces , either in cyber defense or giving up the equivalent of one weekend a month to volunteer in their communities.
This means that the first generation of teenagers to complete national service since 1960 will be around 13 years old today.

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According to population estimates, in 2029 there will be approximately 830,000 18-year-olds who will be required to join the army or to carry out volunteer activities. The number of those eligible in Cornwall currently stands at 6,579, equivalent to 1.14% of the county’s total population.
Under the plan, more teenagers would be recruited from Birmingham than any other council area in the country, more than 17,000.
But in 2029, 18-year-olds will make up a higher proportion of the population in Barking and Dagenham than anywhere else. In the London Borough, 1.7% of the population will be 18 in mid-2029. That means around one in 59 people in Barking and Dagenham would be eligible for National Service.
You can compare how many 18-year-olds could be required to do national service in Cornwall with other areas of the UK on our interactive map:

Defending his plan to bring back compulsory national service, Mr Sunak said: “It will foster a culture of service that will be incredibly powerful in making our society more cohesive and, in a more uncertain and dangerous world, will strengthen. security and resilience of the country.”

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However, Labor leader Sir Keir Starmer called the policy “desperate” and added it would create an “army of teenage dads”.
Around 30,000 full-time jobs will be offered under the scheme, with the vast majority of 18-year-olds expected to fulfill compulsory community roles, working with organizations such as charities, the NHS, the police or the fire service.

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