England expects every man will do his duty

David Cameron today used this famous Horatio Nelson quote (albeit substituting England for Britain and adding "and woman") in a speech to launch the Young Adult Trust today. He advocated lowering certain age restrictions for young people who have demonstrated that they are responsible citizens by participating in a voluntary civilian version of National Service. The ages at which you can bear criminal responsibility and vote were examples he sensibly gave of age limits that would be excluded.

The YAT - headed up by Paul Oginsky, co-founder of Weston Spirit - launched officially today and released this research document about the transition to adulthood. It will run two week courses for selected teenageers, where they will look at concepts like identity, community work and teamwork. Cameron hopes they could become some kind of rite of passage into adulthood, and its associated rights.

The speech isn't on the Party website yet but you click here to download the draft. Here is an extract:

"In too many ways we’ve become the walk-on-by society. Walk-on-by suffering. Walk-on-by an opportunity, and an obligation, to help. I want us, as a society, to be far firmer about what we expect of ourselves – and of our fellow citizens. It’s not enough just to pay your taxes and obey the law. More, much more than this is expected. Our whole society – our peace and our wealth – rests on values which we all have a responsibility to uphold. Trust. Treating others as you wish to be treated. Compassion. The sense that we’re all in this together. These are the underpinnings of a successful economy and a healthy society. We simply cannot continue to allow young people to grow up with so little knowledge of, and respect for, the values of citizenship."

Cameron has also written in this evening's Evening Standard on the subject (click on the image below to enlarge it).

Deputy Editor

Comments

[Anthony Broderick]

Only a few thousand teens could do this course, why bother loosening the law for such a minority?

[Sally Roberts]

Do we yet know what the selection criteria are going to be?

[TomTom]

Why shouldn't the age of criminal responsibility be lowered ?

It is racical that a 15 year old victim can be identified but not a 15-year old comvict

[comstock]

It’s not enough just to pay your taxes and obey the law. More, much more than this is expected

Well when there are thousands of folks not obeying the law, or evading taxes (and that goes for the millionaire in his offshore haven as much as the benefit cheat!) it's a bit much to tell the folks who are playing by the rules than that isn't good enough, and we want more!!!

OK I can see what Cameron is trying to say here, but this is basically outside his job description.

[RichardShackleton]

Oh god...not another "hugga" speech! How much more of this nonsense can we bear??

[Deputy Editor]

Yes: "Young people will be nominated to attend the Young Adult Trust programme by one of a large number of referral partners: organisations that are already working with young people - for example the Prince's Trust, youth clubs or schools. It is anticipated that around 100 young people will attend each Young Adult Trust two-week programme. They will be selected from a wide variety of backgrounds in order to achieve one of the core objectives of the programme, social mixing."

[Richard]

What about those who wish to spend those years in education so that they can enter the job market and contribute to the economy sooner? Will those who have a criminal record and participate in this scheme be allowed to vote while those who don't have one and don't participate won't be allowed to vote?

This is a good idea in principle but I don't think the participants should get special state priviliges when many people who don't partake in the scheme are also deserving of special priviliges.

[Eleanor Justice]

Why chose a great English hero's saying about England to "Britain expects" more proof if proof be needed how little Mr Cameron thinks of England,he would not change a Scottish hero's quote like that, he would not dare,get your own quotes Mr, Cameron.and leave English Hero's alone!

[Simon Mallett]

Early adult status? Go on a two week course and you're allowed to smoke early, drive early and maybe buy fireworks. Good stuff eh? I'm comvinced!

[John Hustings]

All Cameron ever says is lefty-liberal feel-good nonsense. I'll be truly shocked if he ever says something sensible.

[TomTom]

Whatever Cameron said had nothing to do with the words of Admiral Nelson

[Snafu]

Our whole society – our peace and our wealth – rests on values which we all have a responsibility to uphold. Trust. Treating others as you wish to be treated. Compassion. The sense that we’re all in this mess together.

[Dee]

Here he goes again. The anti-English Cameron substituting the word England for Britain. It was sooooo predictable.
Why oh why does he have to mess with all things English? Why do his lap dogs allow this vandalism of our history?

[johno]

I listen to these words and think, maybe our man has a point. Too often have the values which are held dear to this island race been eroded. I am in my early thirties but I worry heavily about the lack of respect I see from younger people. I know I would not have been allowed nor dared to act in the way many people do. We need to look at reuniting as a nation and really considering how we as citizens of the UK restore an agenda of respect and throw out this belief that we can get one over on each other and that local community does not matter. It is not until we can instill a belief in local culpability that we will see the step change that we really desire. Well done Dave for his valiant attempts!

[Sally Roberts]

Seems to be a good initiative - OK guys, maybe it isn't going to be the perfect answer - but it's a start, isn't it? The main point which worries me is that as a voluntary scheme it is only going to be dealing with the "tip of the iceberg". Perhaps it should be made compulsory?

[RKO]

I wondered how long it would take for the nutty English Democrats type to start ranting on here..

[CDM]

It's no surprise RKO. After all, England has e'er been opressed with a mere 82% of the MPs. Talk about Celtic domination!

[Graeme Archer]

These comments are so unremittingly anti-Cameron it's almost amusing. Meanwhile, back in the non-ConservativeHome-world, people are talking about what a great idea this is.

The denizens of this site are the first to moan about how awful society is becoming; you all - I bet you - agree with Mr Cameron's diagnosis (we have too many rights and not enough responsibilities)- and then you sneer at *one* (not the complete) ,non-governmental, distinctly Tory, solution to the problem.

Presumably if he had ignored the question of how to increase the integration of young people into their societies (in terms of making them see that their actions have consequences, that they are responsible for their environment etc), and had used his speech today to call for more tax cuts, this site would have lapped it up.

[James Maskell]

We all know this Young Adult Trust was created to stick one to Brown. That was the whole point. Now some more details are coming out we can now say what we think...Im disappointed yet again by Camerons poor policy making. Young criminals wont bother going to this. Why should they bother...whats in it for them?

The use of Nelsons famous quote is pretty bad...theres a world of difference between kids on the street causing crime and fighting in armed conflict. Id rather Cameron stopped stealing from others and came up with his own quotes. "There is such a thing as society, its just not the same as the state" is not a true quote as it was in direct reference to Thatcher, it wasnt original.

I dont think this will play well to the country, especially in core Tory areas, where this will seem like we just want to talk about problems rather than dealing with them. Just because you disagree doesnt make them nutty.

[Sally Roberts]

"Young criminals wont bother going to this. Why should they bother...whats in it for them?"

James you make a very fair point there - and that's why I wonder if it should be made compulsory - say, like an extra "module" at the end of school?

I don't think we should "dismiss the whole scheme though - I can see it is based on successful schemes such as the Princes Trust and Jamie Oliver's "Fifteen" project which are examples of where kids' lives have been transformed.

[TomTom]

James you make a very fair point there - and that's why I wonder if it should be made compulsory - say, like an extra "module" at the end of school?

That should create some interesting discipline problems........coercing the unwilling is always interesting to observe

[Alison Anne Smith]

"How to make the Party look stupid- Part 2" I'm affraid Mr Cameron. The only teenagers likely to participate are the ones who don't cause trouble anyway.

[Simon Mallett]

Graeme

Not all of us are unremittingly anti dave but sometimes even Cameron supporters would like to see more realistic solutions. It would be better to use 16-18 years of education as the transformer rather than a two week course.

Please direct me to the positive comments about this proposal - it would be useful to get another perspective. My current view is not unduly supportive!

[what the ****]

A Party that doesn't have a coherent answer to how to improve the NHS / education / armed forces / crime etc etc now thinks we should take seriously plans of this sort of ambitious scale - as if politicians understand the complex forces they are playing with?!!!

The Cameron lot have either (a) lost the plot, (b) this is pure spin, (c) both.

What a joke

[MH]

I think it's commendable that Old Etionian millionaire David Cameron wishes to give a select group of children a few weeks away from their parents. Perhaps a grouse shoot on one of his or his chum's estates?

[Jack Stone]

This scheme is an excellent idea that could easly be made compulsory for kids who commit anti-social offences.
It seems to be that many on this site would attack David Cameron whatever he said.The next Conservative Prime Minister just isn`t bigoted or right-wing enougth for them.

[James Maskell]

Jack, why resort to accusing us of being bigots? Its a low level of politics to stoop too. This isnt the first time where youve ignored our concerns and just given us a blanket label for not cheering these proposals on without questioning...

I am worried about the idea of granting "early adult status" to those who complete the course. Adulthood is not granted through a qualification. A two week course for anti-social kids should not be a gateway to special treatment. All it does is essentially tell the public that anti-social kids, who these courses are aimed at, should be given special treatment and allowed more freedom than those who dont break the law. I cant be the only one when hearing of these courses think of "Citizenship" classes, which arent particularly challenging or exciting for that matter.

One thing Ive noticed is the mis-interpretation of the word "responsibility". Looking at the Built to Last and the speeches Cameron and co have done, I get the feeling that the term responsibility has been watered down somewhat. Thatchers version of responsibility was much clearer and more effective.

[John Hustings]

"These comments are so unremittingly anti-Cameron it's almost amusing. Meanwhile, back in the non-ConservativeHome-world, people are talking about what a great idea this is."

No, back in the non-ConservativeHome-world people don't give a toss about this idea.

[Ali T]

Well done Graeme Archer for bringing a measure of reality to the whole YAT debate. I completely agree with your sensible observations.

Some of the negative comments that have been posted seem to ignore that over the last 9 years we have seen ASBOs, ABCs and now FASBOS and with little or no success.

Ask yourself, 'do we feel safer on the streets knowing that the neighbourhood thug has an ASBO?' The answer in my experience is no especially if it has taken 18 months of hell to just to get the matter before Court and an ASBO imposed.

Are these measures altering the behaviour of the small minority of young people who do not abide by the rules of society? Again a resounding no!

So why when we have had 9 years of failure are the usual suspects attacking Cameron for trying a new approach?

I am a great believer in the definition of insanity being always doing the same thing and expecting different results. So lets get sane and try something different.

Young people are fed up with crime and anti social behaviour. They want better public transport, good schools and colleges and decent prospects of getting a job, in short they want the same things as us slightly older people want.

The stigma attached to young people, thanks in no small part to Labour’s policy failure in tackling anti social behaviour, is harming our ability to engage with young people? As a councillor I receive many complaints from young people who are fed up with the way they have been labelled unfairly. This is why so many are switched off politics.

As someone who works for a charity and has seen at first hand how working intensively with young people in a unique environment changes their life I think Cameron should be congratulated on his approach.

Before we write off any young person we must try everything to reach them. This is not only right morally, but we all know in the long term is the right thing to do economically.

[George Hinton]

A return to the basic precepts of the old days, moral and ethical standards that were hammered into young kids from early days of parenting and schooling.
We live in an age where so many in this country have no basic respect for the society that we live in. Too many people know their rights but have no concept as to how to inter-react with their fellow citizens.
I blame the imposition of socialism and the creation of the cradle to grave society which has removed the will from people. Rather than create a society of aspirants we have created a society of equality, equality of stupidity and couldn't care less atitudes and the dumbing down of an entire nation.
This of course suits the left, who want this dependancy culture as it keeps them in jobs and influence and now in power.
Please can we get real and have a return to the better mores of yesterday.

[Tory Loyalist]

Here we go again with the "hug a hoodie" nonsense.

What Next? Hug a child molester?

I can recall when the response of the Tory Conference would have been "Flog a Hoodie" and we were a lot more points ahead in the polls in those days.

Still its good to see that most people here also think this idea is ridiculous.

It's about time someone took David Cameron in hand and told him what life's all about.

At the moment he seems to be completely out of touch.

[James Maskell]

What do you all think of the YJB speech from today?

Im still extremely sceptical about offering young criminals early adult status in exchange for a two week course, which wont do anything.