A coalition of 60 members of the Labour Party have sent a joint letter to the Prime Minister, calling on him to champion a potential ban on social media access for children under 16, ahead of a parliamentary vote in the the Lords this week.
Widespread Appeal Grows
The MPs backing the letter, comprising senior MPs, ex-ministers and figures from across the party's spectrum, are aiming to apply pressure on the government. This follows increasing demands for the UK to adopt a similar policy of the Australian government, which enacted a similar ban in December.
While Starmer has said he remains receptive to a ban, peers in the House of Lords are seeking to accelerate the process by means of an amendment to the current schools bill. This amendment would force the introduction of a ban one year of the bill becoming law.
“Across our constituencies, we hear the same message: children are stressed and sad, and finding it hard to focus on learning. They are not building the necessary skills needed to thrive.”
Worldwide Moves
The communication, coordinated by Labour MP Fred Thomas, adds that “Internationally, governments are acknowledging the severity of this crisis and taking action.” It notes implemented or proposed legislation in countries like France, Norway, New Zealand, Greece and Denmark.
“We believe the responsibility must be placed on technology platforms, not parents, to stop children from accessing their sites,” the MPs write. “We would support a framework akin to Australia’s that requires companies to take significant action to enforce age limits.”
Policy Challenges
This weight of parliamentary backing from MPs places further scrutiny on the Prime Minister. While he has previously expressed doubts about the effectiveness of a ban, he recently told MPs he was receptive in theory to the idea.
Yet, in recent days, administration sources have highlighted concerns that a ban could force children toward the dark web. They argue on the need to see more evidence from the rollout in Australia before deciding on a UK version.
“On paper, Keir is for a ban. We can all see the harms and are concerned about what is happening to children and teenagers,” stated an associate. “But there are still big obstacles to overcome with implementation. We need to proceed carefully and make sure we do this properly.”
Upcoming Vote
The Prime Minister's stance will face a practical test this week when lords vote on the proposed change by Conservative peer John Nash. This amendment to the legislation proposes introducing an minimum age within a year the bill's passage.
While the Labour leadership has not yet declared its stance on the amendment, several Labour peers are expected to support it despite any party whip.
Among them is ex-parliamentarian Luciana Berger, who has supported Lord Nash's amendment. She argued: “The idea for increasing the social media age limit enjoys widespread backing – across the country and across the Labour party. Social media is catastrophically harming children and we must take immediate action to safeguard them.”
