Social media ban for under-16s is yet another U-turn by Starmer as he tries to save his job
The decision to ban social media for under-16s is a case study in everything that has gone wrong under Sir Keir Starmer’s premiership.
It didn’t take long for the Prime Minister to say he would “personally” oppose a social media ban similar to measures introduced in Australia, arguing that “it’s more about how you control the content that children can see.”
But today, after months of pressure from campaign groups and Labor MPs, he took to the floor and declared what a great policy this was and that his government would introduce a stricter ban than the Australians.
At the time he allowed the Conservatives and Kemi Badenoch to take ownership of the social media ban policy and for the first time Sir Keir looks like a man at the mercy of events rather than leading them.
We can understand why he is reluctant to continue enforcing a ban that is unenforceable.
As he puts it today: “This is not something I take lightly. It’s not free. I’m not going to say that social media doesn’t help children at all.”
This showed that his heart wasn’t actually in this matter.
However, the issue is a bit like his decision to cancel the benefit for two children; it is another thing that he resisted the demands of his own backbenchers and was eventually forced to do so when his political position weakened.
Now, this decision to ban social media has been announced at the same time many expect Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham to be elected in the Makerfield by-election and launch a campaign to replace Sir Keir.
Even if Mr Burnham somehow loses, Sir Keir still has at least one more leadership bid from former health secretary Wes Streeting to deal with.
In fact, its current political position is beyond weak; Some even declare their government effectively dead and wait for events to decide what will happen next.
In addition, his government is overshadowed by the defense spending debacle that last week saw him lose not only defense secretary John Healey but also Armed Forces Secretary Al Carns.
Former ministers such as Mr Healey and Mr Streeting, who left the government in disappointment, speak in detail about the prime minister’s inability to make or stick to decisions.
The Defense Investment Plan remained on his desk for months, as did the social media ban for under-16s.
The only silver lining here is that he might score points by publicly debating the social media ban with US president Donald Trump, who will see it as an attack on US tech giants. But while Labour’s perspective is good, further tariffs from the US would be disastrous.
But in the end, this ban may have more to do with Ser Keir’s legacy than anything that could save him.
It would be ironic if the social media ban on under-16s and the cancellation of the two-child benefit became the big legacy of the Starmer government, given Sir Keir was unwilling to do either until his hand was forced.
