[Bones McCoy]

Dowden is deputy Prime Minister because he is Rishi Sunak's closest political ally. He is a mediocre MP who has been pretty average in every role that he has been given. With so many senior Tory MPs throwing in the towel hopefully Dowden will end up doing even more media work for the Tories.

Last seen having the arse ripped out of his trousers by Angela "crusher" Rayner during the battle of the ginger deputies.

But, but, twaade uwnions

[Tubby Isaacs]

So not really compulsory.

[Bones McCoy]

So not really compulsory.

Cleverley meet the concept of consent, I believe you're strangers.

[Youngian]

Didn’t Cameron float voluntary national/community service or was it Hague, Howard etc as well?
Next week: Ministers to work at the coalface.

Lonely sane Tory Danny Finkelstein looks very chirpy

Ayesha Hazarika, "One of my jobs under Tory Blair was to help set up these photos.. We'd be looking for exit signs.. Avoiding moron at the back of his head.. Those were the basic things"

"Hand on heart, this is the worst campaign launch I have ever seen.. This is the kind of thing that even The Thick Of It wouldn't be able to dream or write about"

Rachel Johnson, "Things can only get better.. Things can only get better"

https://www.threads.net/@implausibleblo ... mjdmPutRfw

[Bones McCoy]

Hi 18 year olds, I'm Rishi.

I've got this great idea.
You'll leave your paid Saturday jobs and apprenticeships to do not-voluntary volunteering, for free.

[Youngian]

To be fair on Sunak, the policy is specifically aimed at dingbat Reform voters so Farage would say that.

[Bones McCoy]

To be fair on Sunak, the policy is specifically aimed at dingbat Reform voters so Farage would say that.

Chuck in Hitler Youth choir practice and Farage will get on board.

(A reference to his youthful school cadet japes).

[Tubby Isaacs]

Didn’t Cameron float voluntary national/community service or was it Hague, Howard etc as well?

Cameron actually brought something fairly low key in. Surely Mr Long Term Strategic Plan has built on that as a step towards full national service, right? Wrong.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Which heavyweight thinkers are behind the latest push for national service?

[Youngian]

Doesn’t sound like he’s done much empirical heavy lifting on the research front.

From Doncaster to London, focus groups are now peppered with fears about the wellbeing of young Britons.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Ha ha ha. Delivering prescriptions for free is hardly an "opportunity", is it?

In fairness to Keegan, she probably only heard about this last night.

[Yug]

Which heavyweight thinkers are behind the latest push for national service?

While the Tories are unhappy, unskilled and unhinged.

[Tubby Isaacs]

This chap is fighting Raab's old seat for the Tories. See if this enthusiasm lasts a weekend of door knocking. "Media noise" though.

[Watchman]

Ha ha ha. Delivering prescriptions for free is hardly an "opportunity", is it?

In fairness to Keegan, she probably only heard about this last night.

Delivering prescriptions? “Where do we sign up” says Renton, Spud, Sick Boy, and Begbie

[Tubby Isaacs]

Aren't there people who already deliver prescriptions, for wages?

[Tubby Isaacs]

This is apparently a matter for a Royal Commission. That's rather overkill, isn't it? Can't the Civil Service be trusted with it? They're trusted with a zillion other things more important than this nonsense.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

Royal Commission = 3 years
Progress through parliament = 1 year
Legal challenges = 2 years

You could possibly see this in 2030/31.

Bollocks.

[Tubby Isaacs]

I doubt a Royal Commission would last that long. The last one with a wiki page (1991, Criminal Justice) was done in 2 years 4 months. This scheme by contrast is standard government white paper stuff. Should take 12 months.

[Bones McCoy]

Which heavyweight thinkers are behind the latest push for national service?

I assume "Speccy" Payne will be in the front ranks building his skillset and self-esteem.

[Tubby Isaacs]

This is what Seb got involved with when he was university age.

He was media editor of the student newspaper Palatinate,[1][5] and manager of Purple Radio, a student radio station where he also presented a show.[

Payne volunteered for Conservative Campaign Headquarters during the 2010 general election campaign.

Public service? Or a young media hack burnishing his CV?

Clearly it worked, because he was taken on by the Telegraph in 2011. But I hope his scheme adopts a similarly generous definition of "acquiring skills for employment".