Conscription

"Don't tell them your name *Doodledog!!"

I could just imagine an army of OAPs who don’t pay tax. I used to love Dad’s Army back in the day. I assume pensioners don’t have to pay tax of course.

It could be that the head of the armed forces is trying to cause an outcry
General Sir Patrick Sanders is Head of the British Army, not Head of the UK Armed Services.
He is due to retire soon.

NotSpaghetti

^Maybe non-taxpayers should be expected to ‘do something’ in lieu of contributing financially to society beyond their families?^

really?!

Who doesn't pay some form of tax in the UK?

I think they might have a few problems recruiting in this day and age. So many different opinions, so many different loyalties. It’s a different country to how it was in 1939.

The numbers of Armed Forces have been cut back drastically over the years, with more cuts forecast.

Perhaps this is a warning by the Head of the Armed Services that proposed Government cutbacks would be a foolish move.

There has been a lot in the news about whether the UK will need to conscript citizens in the event of an increasingly likely war in future. What do people make of this?

I'm just deeply depressed at the thought of some of our collective grandchildren ultimately having to become expendable combatants.

I understand that we can't just leave mainland Europe to 'get on with it', but the thought of war is too deeply depressing to even think about what we might be able to do. Or what, in a national emergency, we would be compelled to do.

My step-son was in Iraq. It was an awful, awful worrying time.

Sorry can't contribute something more positive.

NotSpaghetti

^Maybe non-taxpayers should be expected to ‘do something’ in lieu of contributing financially to society beyond their families?^

really?!

I’m mooting possible ideas, is all. Why not? We all pay for the armed forces in tax, and they defend everyone, so it would be a way of contributing.

I don’t think responsibility should necessarily fall to the young, who are often resentful of older people anyway. Why not ask people who don’t work to give up a day a week? Obviously if they are looking after a sick person or are I’ll themselves it would be a bad idea, or maybe it’s just a bad idea anyway - I don’t know what I think at this stage.

I don’t think that National Service should be used as punishment- if it comes in it should be across the board for eligibility, I think.

As I said, I’m not talking about Dad’s Army - it could be making food, helping to keep the country self-sufficient, or knitting socks . I really don’t know, but it would be interesting to think about whether it should happen, and if so, how.

The government through parliament has the power to mandate anyone to do anything in times of crisis, war, threat of war, national disaster, it doesn’t mean everyone has to take up arms, the majority will need to take part in Civil Aid and Welfare according to their ability

Maybe non-taxpayers should be expected to ‘do something’ in lieu of contributing financially to society beyond their families?

really?!