In a video address posted across social media on Sunday (May 26), Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said that his party will introduce “a bold new model of national service for 18-year-olds” if re-elected on July 4.

He said that this could be spent “either in a competitive full-time military commission over 12 months or with one weekend per month volunteering in roles within the community, like delivering prescriptions and food to infirm people or in search and rescue”.

However, it remains unclear how the plans would work in practice.

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In a thread posted on X the same day, Sunak added that young people would get “the life-changing chance to learn from the best of the best”, including “our inspirational NHS staff”.

“The COVID-19 pandemic showed the value of civic service to individuals and our country as a whole,” he said.

Introducing national service will build on “this spirit of community” and “enable young people to give back to the communities that raised them”, he added.

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It comes as a new pharmacy minister is guaranteed after the July 4 general election as incumbent Dame Andrea Leadsom has signalled that she will not be standing as a candidate in a letter to the Prime Minister.

Meanwhile, the pharmacy negotiator last week said that it is “accelerating” core contract negotiations after the Prime Minister announced a general election on Wednesday (May 22). 

It said that “the prospect of more delays is deeply concerning for pharmacy owners who urgently need good news”.