Johnny Mercer ruled out national service idea four days before election announcement

Johnny Mercer dismissed the idea of national service four days before Rishi Sunak called the general election, it has emerged, as another minister appeared to criticise the initiative.

The Prime Minister announced the first major policy of the campaign over the weekend, confirming 18-year-olds would face either a year on a military placement or one weekend of each month volunteering.

Mr Mercer supported the policy in The Sun on Sunday, insisting “the best thing you can ever do is join up and serve”.

But when asked at a live LBC Radio event on May 18 whether military national service should be reintroduced, Mr Mercer said: “No, no. I don’t think it’s... you know, national service at that time served a very defined purpose, being in the military is very different now.

“It’s a very technical role and it’s not a kind of social movement, it’s a professional ability to defend the nation, to fight, to operate as organised units and so on. I’m not sure it would be a good idea.”

A Labour spokesman said: “He’s been caught bare-footed contradicting the Prime Minister’s policies once again.”

Mr Mercer clarified his backing for Mr Sunak’s policy on BBC Radio 4’s PM on Monday.

“I think it is an exciting opportunity to give back to the community,” he said. “Of course there are a lot of details to be worked out.”

It came as Steve Baker, a minister at the Northern Ireland Office, appeared to criticise Mr Sunak’s national service plan as he said it was “sprung on” MPs.

Noting that a defence minister had ruled out the return of national service the day after Mr Sunak called the July 4 poll, Mr Baker said: “It’s a Conservative Party policy. The Government’s policy was set out on Thursday.

“I don’t like to be pedantic, but a government policy would have been developed by ministers on the advice of officials and collectively agreed. I would have had a say on behalf of Northern Ireland.”

Mr Baker served in the Royal Air Force as an engineer officer. His constituency of Wycombe is a marginal seat, and he beat Labour by just over 4,000 votes, or 8 per cent, in the 2019 election.

Following his criticism, the minister wrote on his personal blog: “I am for liberty under the rule of law and parliamentary democracy. History has proven time and time again that liberty under law – not compulsion and planning – is the surest road to peace and prosperity.”

He was one of the foremost critics of Covid lockdowns and said the public should “start living like a free people”.

Mr Baker defended his decision to go on a holiday he booked before the election, saying: “The Prime Minister told everyone we could go on holiday and then called a snap election. So I’ve chosen to do my campaign work in Greece.”

The mandatory national service plan has been backed by many Tory MPs. James Cleverly, the Home Secretary, said the Conservatives “envisage there will be a very high level of take-up”.