Woman: Welcome to Talking Point, the daily radio show that discusses the stories you may not have heard about. On this morning’s show, my guest is government minister, Jonathan Pelham, who is heading a campaign to reintroduce national service in this country. Welcome.

Minister: Thank you.

Woman: Before we look at why you want to reintroduce national service, can you remind listeners of what it was and when it came to an end?

Minister: Of course. After the Second World War, the national service act forced every healthy young man between the ages of 17 and 21 to spend a year in the armed forces. The time was later increased to two years and the only people who were able to avoid national service were those in essential occupations such as mining or farming. The last year that people were called up to do National Service was 1960.

Woman: And you’d like to reintroduce this again.

Minister: Yes, although with a few differences.

Woman: Such as?

Minister: Firstly, there would be a choice between joining the armed forces or doing a kind of community service. Those joining the armed services would not be sent to war zones. They would benefit from army discipline and training but in a safe environment. Young people doing community service would work in hospitals, schools, with the unemployed or homeless. I believe they should be given a range of tasks to do. This would ensure that they would work with a variety of people and find out more about the needs of the community in which they live.

Woman: Do you think your ideas are popular?

Minister: Amongst young people? No! No-one likes to be told that they have to do something for two years. However, I think that when they realise what they are gaining from the experience, they will begin to appreciate it and understand the importance of it. They will feel valued, which young people often aren’t at the moment. Of course, after a few years, it will become natural and accepted and then there won’t be so much resistance to doing it. In my opinion, national service will also reduce youth unemployment and, hopefully, reduce anti-social behaviour.

Woman: I know there is one more big difference between your idea and the original

National Service.

Minister: Yes. My idea is for this to apply to everyone, male or female, at the age of eighteen. I would also ensure that no-one could avoid doing it, whether rich or poor. For those going to university, it would mean that they would start their studies two years later. This would be very beneficial in my view as students would be much more independent and mature than they are now. National service would be a wonderful opportunity to allow people from different parts of the country, different ethnic backgrounds and different religions to learn to get on with each other and to understand each other. That can only be a good thing in a society such as ours where most people tend to interact socially with people of similar backgrounds to themselves.

Woman: Well, good luck. Do you think you have a chance of seeing your idea happening?

Minister: To be honest, it’s doubtful. People don’t like to take backward steps, even when it may be a good idea. However, I haven’t given up and anything is possible.

Woman: That’s true. Well,… (fade)