Harry Clark, the winner of the second series of the BBC reality show 'The Traitors,' has expressed support for the reintroduction of national service for young people in the United Kingdom. Clark, a former British Army engineer, shared his views on the "Storm & Alexis" show on Channel 5, highlighting his positive experiences in the military and suggesting it could offer structure and purpose to young individuals.
Clark stated that his six years in the military provided him with valuable skills and discipline, countering the misconception that national service exclusively involves combat. He explained that roles within the military can range from logistics and culinary services to technical fields like aeronautical engineering. "I think what we have today, especially in London, is young teenagers getting into crime because they feel like they have no purpose, and the military can give them that purpose," Clark said.
He further proposed that national service could extend beyond traditional military roles to include community service, emphasizing its potential to instill lifelong discipline. Clark recalled that for many in the military, it served as a surrogate family, offering a sense of belonging and structure. "The military teaches you so many things," he added. "You could be a driver, a chef. I was an aeronautical engineer on helicopters."
Clark's comments come amid renewed discussion in the UK about national service. In April, former NATO chief Lord Robertson suggested that a system similar to Sweden's, which obliges all residents between 16 and 70 to contribute to national defense in times of war, should be considered. This system can include military or civil conscription, or general national service tasks.
Lord Robertson presented this idea to a joint parliamentary committee on the National Security Strategy, noting the evolving threat landscape. He indicated that while such proposals might not be immediately included in government legislative plans, they warrant serious consideration. "I think given the nature of the threats that we now face, both in a civil as well as a military context, I think there would be a case for putting that forward," he stated.
Sweden's model includes military conscription, civil conscription for roles like rescue services or maintaining critical national infrastructure, and general national service as directed by authorities. Britain's original national service, introduced in 1949, required physically fit men aged 17 to 21 to serve in the armed forces for 18 months, but it ended in 1960. Other countries, such as Finland, maintain military conscription, and Germany recently voted to introduce voluntary military service following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.