If elected on July 4, Britain’s Conservative Party will implement mandatory national service for 18-year-olds, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced.

The service would involve either volunteering one weekend a month for a year or joining the armed forces for a year, with 30,000 spots available.

This proposal came after Labour leader Keir Starmer expressed support for 16 and 17-year-olds voting rights.

The Conservatives trail Labour significantly in opinion polls, which remain unchanged since Sunak’s unexpected election announcement, Reuters reported.

Sunak emphasized the need for national service to address threats to democratic values and societal division, promising funding through measures against tax evasion and reallocating money from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Labour criticized the plan, with Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham urging youth to vote for change instead.

Interior Minister James Cleverly clarified there would be no criminal penalties for non-compliance, but stressed the obligation to participate, comparing it to compulsory education until age 18.

Written by B.C. Begley