For most people, becoming a Member of Parliament would be considered the pinnacle of public service. For Will Stone, it certainly wasn’t enough.
Less than two years after entering Westminster, the North Swindon MP has taken the oath as an officer cadet in the Honourable Artillery Company, Britain’s oldest regiment, after passing the Army Officer Selection Board. His next step is officer training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst before serving as a reservist.
It is an unusual move for a sitting MP, but one Will says has been driven by a desire to continue serving his country at a time of growing international instability.
When asked why, “Service,” he says simply.
“Seeing what is happening in the world, I wanted to do more in my spare time. It will also complement my Parliamentary career through having access to more NATO courses.”
The decision marks a return to an organisation that Will credits with shaping much of the person and politician he has become. In an interview with Swindon24 earlier this year, he reflected on his own Army career, describing it as transformative.
“The Army genuinely changed my life. It gave me discipline, it gave me accountability. It’s a big part of who I am today.”
That belief in service runs through much of Stone’s political career. Whether campaigning to bring advanced manufacturing back to Swindon, attracting defence technology companies to the town, or arguing for greater investment in skills and opportunity, he repeatedly returns to the idea that politics should be about creating lasting opportunities rather than simply managing today’s problems.
In a previous interview, he described his ambition as creating jobs for “children who aren’t even born yet” by helping establish Swindon as a national centre for defence manufacturing. Returning to military service, he says, is a continuation of that same philosophy.
Some may question whether an MP has the time to take on a military commitment. Will insists the role has been designed to fit around his existing responsibilities.
“Being an MP is a full-time job, but like everyone else I’m entitled to annual leave. If I choose to spend some of my holiday periods serving my country as an Armed Forces reservist, that’s my decision.
Training will take place during parliamentary recesses, conference season, Wednesday evenings and some weekends, allowing him to continue his work in Westminster and across North Swindon.
He said he did not require formal permission from Parliament to become a reservist, although he informed his party’s Whip before beginning the process.
Will deliberately chose the Honourable Artillery Company (known as the HAC) for both practical and professional reasons.
“The location makes it the easiest place for me to parade after work on a Wednesday evening,” he explained.
“But it’s also a fantastic regiment with multiple options. They have Surveillance and Reconnaissance, Light Intelligence and an Artillery Battery, so there’s real flexibility.”
He was also attracted by the regiment’s emphasis on innovation.
“The new Commanding Officer is very keen on modernisation, particularly implementing more drones into soldiering and tactics. That’s something which really appealed to me.”
The HAC forms part of the Army’s Land Special Operations Force, reflecting the increasingly specialised role many reservists now perform alongside the Regular Army.
Perhaps Will’s most striking answer came when asked whether he would ever consider deploying on operations.
“In an ideal world, I’d like to deploy on an active operation during one of next year’s parliamentary recesses.”
For someone whose political career has increasingly focused on defence, NATO cooperation and supporting Britain’s growing defence industry, it is a significant statement.
His application was also supported by several senior figures from across the military and Parliament, including Veterans Minister Al Carns, Brigadier Stu Nasse and former Defence Minister Lord Mark Lancaster.
Will hopes his decision encourages others to think about joining the Reserve Forces.
“I think it’s a fantastic opportunity that people should look at.”
His own experience of military service, he believes, demonstrates what it can offer.
Long before entering politics, Will grew up in Swindon, attended Headlands School and has spoken openly about how joining the Army gave him direction, discipline and purpose after leaving school. Now, while representing North Swindon in Parliament, he believes those values remain just as important.
As Britain adapts to an increasingly uncertain security landscape, Will says serving in uniform and serving in Parliament are not competing responsibilities, but complementary ones. For him, becoming an MP was never intended to be the end of public service. It was simply another way of continuing it.
