𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

It’s time to ban social media for children. Right now, a child can open a social media account in minutes and be exposed to material most adults would find disturbing – extreme violence, pornography, and content that promotes self-harm. This is happening every day, often out of sight of parents.

At the same time, smartphones have become a constant presence in schools. Teachers are competing with notifications, group chats and endless scrolling. It’s no surprise that attention spans are suffering, or that bullying now follows children home through their screens. We should be honest about what this means. We are asking children to navigate an adult world before they are ready – and then acting surprised when it goes wrong.

A good education is about more than exams. It’s about preparing young people to weigh risks, to make the right judgement, and to take responsibility for their choices. Children aren’t born with those skills. They learn them over time, with guidance from parents, teachers, and the wider society around them.

Conservatives understand that childhood is not something to be rushed. It is a time when character is formed, where boundaries are learned, and where mistakes can be made safely. Preserving that space is not old-fashioned or restrictive – it is essential. If we erode childhood, we don’t create stronger adults, we create more vulnerable ones.

That is why, under my leadership, the Conservatives have announced we will restrict social media access to over-16s and ban smartphones from schools. This is not about being anti-technology. It’s about recognising that sometimes limits are necessary for freedom to mean anything at all.

I take this view not just as a Conservative, but also as a parent. I can see the pressures children are under – the anxiety, the need to keep up, the difficulty of switching off. And I know how hard it is for parents to manage this alone.

Many within the Labour Party agree with me. That’s why 61 Labour MPs wrote to the Prime Minister calling on him to take action.

But, as with so many of the big issues facing our country, the Keir Starmer dithers. The PM’s response is always more reviews, more guidance, more delay.

The risks of social media for children are clear and the consequences are already being felt in classrooms and homes across the country.

This week, Conservative councillors pledged to instigate smart-phone bans in their local areas. In contrast, last night Labour MPs voted to block a smart-phone ban in English schools and to block our plan for a social-media ban for under-16s.

The Conservatives are prepared to act. The question is how long it will take Keir Starmer to do what’s necessary?