“If you can serve in your armed forces, then you ought to be able to vote,” once insisted Prime Minister Keir Starmer in an argument recycled from countless classroom debates. The issue of extending the franchise to 16-year-olds is now seemingly resolved – last month the Government doubled down on their manifesto pledge to do so. But Starmer’s justification for this move provokes another important question: as a fresh cohort of young people gain the right to vote, how many of them will exercise their older prerogative to join the armed forces?
The UK is under threat. With the intensification of Chinese and Russian hostility, and the USA no longer a guaranteed ally, our armed forces need to be stronger. Yet amongst younger people, there is an absence of enthusiasm to risk their lives for King and country – a sentiment reflected in the shortfall of over 8,500 armed forces personnel. Why would young people sign up when there is a lack of pride in our country, institutions and communities? Over the past 20 years, the number of young people who say they are proud to be British has halved from 80% to just 41%.
In addressing this problem, recent evidence suggests that quick fixes do not work. Traumatised Tory voters may still shudder at the memory of Sunak’s much-lambasted national service policy in last year’s Conservative manifesto – a proposal that only 10% of 18-to-24-year-olds strongly supported. But such policies can be effective and popular. Indeed, Norway exemplifies this through its prestigious and highly selective national service programme, in which all 18-year-old citizens are legally obligated to apply. Yet these systems have long cultural histories and are not easily imitated – a single act of Parliament is not enough to change the psyche of a generation.
Even if the UK’s late-teens are not yet of this Scandinavian inclination, we can find a middle ground. Expanding our cadet forces is one great option. When I reminisce with childhood friends about our formative school years, we share appreciation for our time in the Combined Cadet Force (CCF). Bittersweet memories of field weekends spent wearing camouflage paint stripes, sleeping under bashers, or tarpaulin, being awoken for night exercises or to find our camp flooded. These experiences shaped us, boosted resilience and created top-notch anecdotes for job interviews too.
The Government has recognised this area of opportunity. The recent Strategic Defence Review suggested that the Ministry of Defence (MOD) should aim to expand our Cadet Forces by 30% by 2030 and reach 250,000 cadets in the longer term – more than double the current total.
These are brilliant targets, but they leave big questions about how to achieve them. It might seem counter-intuitive for a Labour Government that spent much of the last year bashing private schools – in particular by removing their charitable status. Private schools dominate the CCF, hosting a third of all CCF school units despite only educating 7% of the population. Meanwhile, just 7% of state schools have a force.
Of course, the private model would not be easily replicable in all state schools. Private schools, free from curriculum restrictions, can often substitute an afternoon to the pursuits of drill, shooting and teambuilding, integrating the CCF into their weekly timetable. Further, many state schools are facing financial difficulties: over half of secondary schools have made teaching staff cuts in the past year. Thus, implementing such a programme would pose practical challenges, requiring careful staff training, infrastructure to house equipment safely and stringent protocols.
Yet if the Government truly wants to boost long-term military recruitment through the cadet pathway, they should focus on freeing up more resources to expand the number of Cadet Forces available to state-educated pupils. Currently 39% of the annual officer training intake at Sandhurst is privately educated. To help make this career path similarly attractive to state school pupils, greater provision of Cadet Forces is an essential step.
Beyond the obvious national security imperatives, there are plenty of other reasons why expanding our Cadet Forces is a good idea. A recent MOD report found that CCF involvement has transformative impacts regarding social mobility, employability, mental health and resilience. They are also financially viable: if the cadet experience helps just 1% of cadets annually into employment, education or training, the annual cost of the Cadet Forces is completely covered. Thus, at a time when 12.5% of all 16-to-24 year olds are NEETs, such a scheme could offer some help, aiding individuals to reach their full potential.
Beyond the economic and personal development arguments, there is also an important civic dimension to this question. Our social contract is broken, with fewer and fewer young people buying into our democratic system. Just 29% of 16–21-year-olds are satisfied with how British democracy works. Handing more of them the vote will not fix anything on its own. As highlighted in a recent Bright Blue report, we desperately need to work on building a shared national identity. In the wake of scrapping the National Citizenship Scheme (NCS), there is more need than ever for programmes such as the CCF which reinstall pride, community and discipline, and remind us of our history.
To ensure our future national security we will need to find a way of boosting military recruitment. The CCF is part of the cultural shift required, facilitating the recognition of the military as a well-respected and accessible career. But it is also so much more and provides a net national good whether or not the cadets ever actually serve. Indeed, the participation of thousands of cadets in annual Remembrance Day parades – recognising the selfless sacrifice of men and women defending our future, our right to democracy – is a constant reminder of this. At face value, the Cadet Force might look like it is all about training the next generation of soldiers, but, in truth, it is just as much about training the next generation of citizens.
Harriet Dolby is a Member of Bright Blue, Young Conservative Chair for Huntingdonshire and Treasurer for the Oxford University Conservative Association. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of Bright Blue.