RICHARD Drax said young people who repeatedly turn down work should be conscripted – and the new labour candidate for South Dorset has responded.

Conservative Mr Drax, who has represented the constituency since defeating Labour’s Jim Knight in 2010, made the comments in an interview with The House magazine.

“In some cases, particularly among some of the young, they have got to a point where, for whatever reason, they’re not prepared to contribute to our country and to serve their country,” he said.

“If they can’t be encouraged to do that, then maybe we’ve got to a point where they should be told to do so.

“And if they’ve refused three offers of a job, or whatever the number would be, and they say ‘I’m sorry, I’m not doing any of that’, you then say, in which case you must go and do two years in the Armed Forces.”

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Even before selecting a candidate, Labour were leading in the Electoral Calculus general election polling for South Dorset, and it has now revealed who will stand, with Lloyd Hatton chosen to represent the party.

Over the moon to be selected as Labour’s candidate for South Dorset!

I was born and raised here, our community means the absolute world to me!

I want to champion my home town, defeat Richard Drax, and win back South Dorset🌹

— Lloyd Hatton 🇬🇧 (@HattonLloyd) March 8, 2024

Responding to Mr Drax’s comments, he said: “I have read Richard’s comments and I think lots of people I went to school with don’t share this concern; we’re worried about buying a house and getting a job nearby.

“Frankly, I think it’s a little out of touch from Richard. It certainly feels I’ve heard him say vanishingly little about buying a home in South Dorset.

“I don’t think we should be getting to that point in the first place, we need to give people the skills they need for the world of work.

“It’s a hypothetical that only exists in Richard’s head.”