Bereaved parents accuse Sir Keir Starmer of lacking courage over social media ban for children
Keir Starmer has been accused by grieving parents of lacking the courage to protect young people after dodging a vote to ban social media for under-16s.
The condemnation came in a scathing letter to the prime minister from 22 parents of 16 teenagers who committed suicide.
The heartfelt letter comes less than 24 hours after the government defeated an attempt to introduce a social media ban for under-16s in the House of Commons.
While the government has promised action, it has argued that it would not be right to follow Australia’s example and impose a complete ban.
But in a letter to Sir Keir, the parents pleaded with him to ensure no other parent or family member finds themselves in a similar situation.
They said: “We have heard a lot about determined leadership from your government in recent months, promises to go faster and further than any administration before it. We noted that these statements came amid growing pressure from within your own party to raise the age limit for social media. We hoped it was a coincidence.”
But they added: “It is becoming increasingly clear that it is not. For all your talk of leadership, you remain firmly on the fence when it comes to protecting children and preventing preventable deaths online.”
“Nothing demonstrates this more clearly than your decision last night in the House of Commons not to personally attend the vote to raise the social media age limit to 16, as did 107 MPs.”
They warned that regulating social media companies and keeping our children safe “is one of the defining challenges of our time.”
But they blasted: “Yet your government could not be clearer that you would rather refrain from taking a position. We will go further: it has become clear that raising the age limit for harmful social media to 16 is far from your preferred option.”
“Prime Minister, why don’t you take a few minutes to vote and make your position known in your own workplace when we have devoted our time and energy to this cause at great personal cost? Is it too much to ask for you to share your view and support your convictions?”
They warned that the House of Lords would have another opportunity to vote on a legally binding commitment to raise the age limit.
“We will do everything we can to work with our colleagues to ensure this happens and the matter returns to the House of Commons,” they added.
“We hope, Prime Minister, that you will find the courage to answer then.”
The ban was backed by Tory leader Kemi Badenoch but Sir Keir’s government opposed it.
Education secretary Olivia Bailey has expressed concerns from children’s charities that an outright ban on under-16s from using social media could drag them to “less regulated corners of the internet” or leave them “unprepared” for how to navigate the online world.
He said the government’s consultation “will seek views to help shape our next steps”, which could ultimately include banning children from platforms such as Instagram and TikTok.
Independent He approached Downing Street for comment.
