Britainâ„¢s practice of recruiting minors to the army has to stop, a Labour MP warns.
Britainâ„¢s practice of recruiting 16 and 17-year-olds to its armed forces has to stop, a Labour MP has warned.
Stockton North MP Alex Cunningham said he wants the age of recruitment in the British army to rise to 18, arguing that minors are not mature enough to decide serving in the force.
“It strikes me as amazing that in the 21st century we have 16 year olds making a decision to sign up for the armed forces and in time, combat roles, on behalf of the UK when the vast majority of nations across the globe have ended recruiting children,” Cunningham wrote in an article for the Central Lobby.
Earlier in April, campaign groups Child Soldiers International and ForcesWatch revealed that Britainâ„¢s Ministry of Defence (MoD) wasted up to £94 million a year by recruiting minors, saying that it takes longer for them to develop their skills and have a higher drop-out rate.
The campaign groups also disclosed that young troops are more likely to suffer post-traumatic stress disorder, sexual harassment and bullying.
MOS/SSM/HE
This article originally appeared on : Press TV