How about this Gordon, m8! You go and wear uniform, grab a rifle and YOU GO TO Afghanistan and do some SERVICE!

By keaneo.. Posted April 25 2009 at 1:20 PM.

i would like to see that self elected bumbling buffon go out and do some good for a change rather than hemoraging what little money we have left. if he thinks that i am going to go out and do some compulsary charity work while trying to studie for my A-levels and holding down a job he has another thing coming. to be honest i think that he has run out of policys and these are just some random scribbles on the back of a napkin while he was pigging out on taxpayers money.

By ror.. Posted April 25 2009 at 12:12 PM.

Mr. Brown really needs to get his head round the concept of a future for any country - the preservation of the youth, or in our case the resorection of the youth that have been Britain what it is to day. Forcing children to do 50 hours of community service isn't a way to build communities; restoring leisure activitys such as fox hunting--whether you believe in the morality of it or not--which brings people into their local pub and thickens the bond in local communities will make our nation that of the people and not of the state - something in which Mr. Brown and the Labour party continue to force upon the people with their ridiculous, asphyxiating political correctness which has raised two types of young people over the last decade: the mean, hateful and cynical youngsters who out of no fault of their own have stubbled upon a view of community in Britain due to Labour--a view which due to lack of education they will not be able to grasp the concept of in most cases, let alone articulate it--which has added fuel to racism, unwanted children and neglect; then there are the people who are so caught up in political correctness and what not that there only moral firbe and the way they conduct themselves makes them the thing in which they point out only too often, racists, when in fact they themselves are the ones that are racist, and the people who they accuse aren't at all - they are realists.

By Daniel Caine.. Posted April 24 2009 at 6:47 AM.

Hi i feel this a really good way forward for young teens to stay off streets,
we always hear everyone moaning about teenagers doing this and that.

realistic come on people wake up

i think this i a great idea

weather your in on this or not i am wit gordon
sorry no disrespect

more law and order needs to be enforced, like some said this will them awake up for the big real world and make them realise we all dont live in cucu land

just to let you know im a youth worker and this is my finding for the last few years and this is what i have concluded.

happy days and continue moaning cuz its planned and it will happen even if you dont like it.

By Jo.. Posted April 22 2009 at 12:11 AM.

why dont they apply the same rule to bankers?

By Hamish.. Posted April 18 2009 at 1:33 PM.

How about this Gordon, m8! You go don a uniform, grab a rifle and YOU GO TO Afghanistan and do some SERVICE!

Yeah Right!

By dj lookwood.. Posted April 17 2009 at 4:03 AM.

"What is inspirational is the number of young people who are serving their communities in endeavours from charity fundraising to green activism. We want to harness and encourage this community spirit. "

We saw that, did we not, last week, at the Climate Camp outside the Carbon Trading Exchange, after 6.30!

Oh yes, Gordon, that was truly inspiring. Only it inspires loathing and fear!

By core luminous.. Posted April 17 2009 at 4:00 AM.

dont worry human rights act he cant force labour agaisnt ones will know your rights dont be part or let your kids take part in browns new world order

By daniel sellers.. Posted April 17 2009 at 12:15 AM.

Gordon Brown says himself that "Already three million young people give their time to community service each year, usually without recognition or reward". If it is to be made compulsary then why will it be any different, the few who strive to make thier communities a better place will still recieve no praise or recognition. If three million can't be praised for doing a good deed then how would a number far greater than that be better.

By Andrew.. Posted April 17 2009 at 1:27 AM.

Human Rights Act 2004:
Section 26 - Freedom From Forced Labour
2. No-one may be made to perform forced or compulsory labour.

Its against Human Rights. Plain and simple, in black and white!

New World Order is coming!

By Zeitgeist.. Posted April 15 2009 at 9:59 PM.

This isn't fair. I'm studying for my A levels and don't HAVE 50 hours a week. I agree that community service could be good for some teenagers but FORCING them? Gordon Brown just tars all teenagers with the same brush. He doesn't seem to realise that we're not all chavs.

By Bert.. Posted April 15 2009 at 12:16 PM.

What's next workhouses? Has brown lost his mind, maybe Brown and Obama should get married to each other (It's legal now) then we eliminate Kids alltogether.

By Malcolm.. Posted April 14 2009 at 11:00 PM.

i think this is a brilliant idea im just 21 myself and caused alot of havoc in my teens i think it would control a lot more teenagers and make them realise what the big wide world is really like it might even stop them from been bored and bring down the high number of teen pregnancies.

By strange.. Posted April 14 2009 at 4:50 PM.

Maybe Gordon B has a bigger plan than we all see. Perhaps this is an anti-immigrant campaign- Make the country as crap as possible so no-one wants in!

By Tom.. Posted April 14 2009 at 11:57 AM.

I wonder what this also spells for youth organisations like the scouts and st john ambulance? Young children no longer having time to attend such voluntary activities and instead being forced to do this work.

Jeremy clarkson is right on everything he says about the idiot running the country.

By Tom.. Posted April 14 2009 at 11:52 AM.

I'm a serving soldier and like to think i've contributed to freedom and free speech in the civilised world. I've done three tours in Iraq and have recently completed 7 months in Afghanistan and for what, My own goverment to force my kids to work for nothing. Well as someone has already quoted "hell will freeze over " before i allow my kids to participate in this farce.

By Soldierbhoy.. Posted April 13 2009 at 10:49 AM.

this is slavery, if you are forced to work for no pay it is called slavery,,,president lincoln freed the slave in the usa , now the brits want to bring it back....

By k p.. Posted April 12 2009 at 11:06 PM.

Here in America, O'Bama is leaning towards the same set-up going in with voluntary first, then moving to forced (yeah there is a clause for that). Watch, it'll end up being forced.

It's a big big mistake to force the good kids that are studying and working PT with the additional burden when they are already overwhelmed with commitments time-wise.

It'll be a cold day in hell before my kids are forced to build or remodel housing for parasitical welfare recipients on our dime and time and their free labor. We already pay taxes.

Forced national service is forced labor, period.

Make it compulsory for the welfare crowd and trouble-makers, hands off the productive law-abiding children and teens.

We don't need the government raising our children and brainwashing them thank you. That's OUR job as parents to mold them to our values and beliefs, contrary to the governments. Hence the problem.

By WolfHawk.. Posted April 12 2009 at 7:58 PM.

It seems he's damned if he does and dammed if he doesn't. It's quite easy to be critical of this plan but without a constructive alternative I'm afraid the criticism holds no weight. Personally speaking, anything that gives teenagers a sense of community can only be good. Of course this will only be a success if the people running the scheme make it fun and enjoyable instead of perceived as a punishment .

By Dave.. Posted April 12 2009 at 7:35 PM.

doesn't he realise that very few given community service actually attend and no one chases after them to do it so how the hell will he get this to work

The man is an idiot does he really think this will get him votes whilst his ministers are screwing the taxpayers. Anyone want a bath plug?

By mags.. Posted April 12 2009 at 6:43 PM.

When i went to school, i was taught that voluntary meant you volunteered for somthing...
If voluntary work is compulsory, then it ceases to be voluntary...

By chris king.. Posted April 12 2009 at 3:37 PM.

Anyone with even one ounce of common sense, which doesn't include anyone in the Government, knows that this stupid idea will never get off the ground. It will never happen. It is a non starter.
What a pity we got rid of National Service....it was good for the kids and, in the long term, good for the country. Someone ought to tell our "leaders" that it is no good trying to close the door after the horse has bolted.

By Mikesell... Posted April 12 2009 at 3:34 PM.

We have a system in Barbados where young people enter Youth Service. There are too many selfish, inconsiderate teenagers that in a crisis wouldn't be able to cope. I think this is a good idea to prepare youngsters for life like my generation did with Girl Guides and Boys Brigade. Parents are creating a generation of unprepared young people at their own peril.

By Sue Barker.. Posted April 12 2009 at 3:22 PM.

mr brown as a pensioner i shake my head at new labour,mor right wing than bnp

By john welsh.. Posted April 12 2009 at 10:30 AM.

WHAT CAN YOU SAY,THE MAN IS A BLOODY FOOL AND NEEDS TO BE GOT RID OFF SOON AS.
THE LABOUR GOVERNMENT ARE WELL PAST THE SELL BY DATE AND FOR THE SAKE OF THE ONCE GREAT BRITAIN NEED TO BE REMOVED

By SAM BROWN.. Posted April 12 2009 at 9:45 AM.

You cannot make voluntary work compulsory - you can force the convicted teenagers to do community work as part of their punishment - but leave the good ones alone. My daughter has 5 children, and we once paid for the eldest to go on a water weekend from school. It turned out that the majority of the teenagers taking part were on asbos, and they were paid for. We are also paying for the 3rd child to go to London with the school, because he has achieved the standard required by the school - this is £120 plus, but the ere will also be naughty ones going who are being paid for. Is this fair.

By shirley.. Posted April 12 2009 at 9:35 AM.

Fantastic idea

By Rosemary.. Posted April 12 2009 at 9:26 AM.

If teenagers refuse, will they be taken to court and given community service!!!!

By Deb.. Posted April 12 2009 at 8:57 AM.

Another Brown ploy to avoid using the public purse because, in the past 12 years, he has been so profligate with the nations finances.

By roger macnamara.. Posted April 12 2009 at 8:03 AM.

When is this prat gonna wake up and smell the coffee? Him and his bloody hair-brained schemes are what has got this country into the mess its in. He doesn't know what to say next.

By Jay.. Posted April 12 2009 at 7:56 AM.

How very sad. Young people already do more voluntary work than any other age group.

There are schemes in place such as V Inspire and Duke of edinburgh awards, scouting, guides, youth councils etc which encourage voluntary work within the community.

Big mistake to make it compulsory. If there are troublemakers they need to be dealt with by carefully thought out well structured inteventions not a one size fits all policy.

By michael wearing.. Posted April 12 2009 at 5:23 AM.

So our Kids have to work for the Benefit of the country but not our governement, this sounds so much like Communism to me.

By Adrian Peirson.. Posted April 12 2009 at 4:56 AM.

Bring back national service!

By Flangie.. Posted April 12 2009 at 4:27 AM.

So it comes to this, well done brown for ruining Great Britain, the innocent young want jobs not recycled training schemes of a pittance wage nor community service which afterall is given as a punishment to some criminals. God help the young as this government certainly does'nt.

By Jay.. Posted April 12 2009 at 2:43 AM.

The people who are on the social should be made to do community work for their dole money.The town I live in there is people who have never done legal work since they left school,but always seem to have money.

By gran.. Posted April 12 2009 at 12:20 AM.