Young royals would not be exempt from Sunak’s national service scheme

Responding to a written parliamentary question, defence minister Andrew Murrison said there were “no plans” to introduce the controversial policy.

The MP, who represents South West Wiltshire, added that it could damage morale if “potentially unwilling” recruits were forced to serve alongside armed forces personnel.

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Nigel Farage signalled a return to right-wing shock tactics for his Reform UK party, as he used his first election interview to attack Muslims in the UK for “not sharing British values”.

Speaking to Sir Trevor Phillips on Sky News this morning, Mr Farage accused Rishi Sunak of “not being a leader” and instead being “a follower of focus groups” who is “not willing to tackle the real issues in this country”.

He was dismissive of Tory plans to reintroduce compulsory national service for school leavers, describing the policy as “a joke” but then stunned Sir Trevor by launching into an attack on millions of voters.

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The prime minister insisted on that his plans for mandatory national service would help unite society in an “increasingly uncertain world” and give young people a “shared sense of purpose”. In an apparent pitch to older voters, Mr Sunak said that volunteering could include helping local fire, police and NHS services, as well as charities tackling loneliness and supporting elderly and isolated people.

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I read Andrew Grice’s recent column, regarding Keir Starmer’s “secret agenda” to forge closer links with the EU, with a song in my heart. Well, it was probably more like a muted hum – but if the signs are there for a more proactive rapprochement with the EU, then bring it on.

I appreciate that Starmer is keen not to alienate Leave voters, but a lot of time has passed, and surely even ardent voters have now realised they were misled and manipulated on an industrial scale.

Pro-Europeans such as myself will welcome any changes, and I would surmise that the EU wouldn’t be against a better relationship.

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Andrew Murrison signed off a written answer to fellow Tory MP Mark Pritchard which was published less than 24 hours after the prime minister had dramatically called a snap election.

The response from a seasoned minister has been highlighted after there was a furious backlash to the Tory plan revealed overnight to reintroduce national service for school leavers.

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John Swinney will say the SNP can kick the Conservatives out of “every seat in Scotland” as he campaigns ahead of the General Election.

The First Minister will on Monday campaign for votes in Dumfries, which is part of Scottish Secretary Alister Jack’s Dumfries and Galloway seat.

Elsewhere, the Liberal Democrats will be launching their Scottish campaign.

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross will be in Falkirk, the constituency represented by former Scottish health secretary Michael Matheson at Holyrood.

Mr Swinney said: “In every seat the Tories currently hold, the SNP is the challenger and the only party who can defeat them – that is why I am urging people in Scotland to unite by voting SNP, meaning we cannot just remove the Tories from Downing Street, but kick them out of every seat in Scotland.”

When Emmy Vilander turned 18 she, like everyone her age in Sweden, was sent an official email by the Swedish government. It asked her whether she’d consider conscription into the country’s military under Sweden’s “total defence” service and asked her how fit she was, if she had any health issues and what her motivation would be.

“I thought it might be a good thing [to do],” recalls Vilander – and so she duly filled in the form. Not long after that, she found herself in Sweden’s far north learning how to strip down a rifle, shoot a gun and build a shelter (as well as the “basic stuff like how to keep a tidy locker and how to make your bed”.)

By the end of her 10-month military service, Vilander could also drive a tank in a variety of terrains. “You learn a lot about yourself – that you can do more than you think you can do,” she tells me. “I thought it was going to be so hard – and it was – but it was also fun.”

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The Labour leader’s “presidential” speech comes as the Tories have accused him of threatening to make a £38.5billion black hole in public finances with his spending plans.

This latest attack comes after Sir Keir has suffered months of questions about his leadership style and the number of times he has U-turned on issues.

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