So the army’s alleged to be targetting schools in deprived areas for recruitment?

About bloody time, surely? For decades, pupils from public schools have been pretty much forced to sign up to basic military training via the Combined Cadet Force – why should working class pupils miss out on being subjected to teenage militarism? I thought we were meant to be all about equality of opportunity these days?

In fact, if the figures are correct (“Secondary schools with more than 21% of pupils receiving free school meals had, on average, seven visits, while those with less than 20% getting free meals had an average of five visits”), then the army’s doing significantly less recruitment at schools from deprived areas. With the CCF, you were generally forced on to the parade ground at least once a week…