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A coalition of 60 members of the Labour Party have sent a joint letter to Keir Starmer, pressing him to support a potential ban on social media access for children under 16, prior to a key vote in the the upper chamber this week.

Broad Appeal Grows

The MPs backing the letter, who include senior MPs, ex-ministers and representatives from the entire Labour spectrum, are looking to increase the pressure on the administration. This amid mounting pressure for the UK to follow the lead of the Australian government, which enacted a parallel restriction in December.

While Starmer has said he remains open to the idea, members of the House of Lords are seeking to bring the matter to a head via an proposed change to the current schools bill. This amendment would require the enactment of a age restriction within a year of the bill becoming law.

“In all of our areas, we encounter the same concerns: children are anxious, unhappy, and finding it hard to focus on learning. They are failing to develop the necessary skills needed to succeed.”

International Action

The communication, which was organised by Labour MP Fred Thomas, adds that “Internationally, governments are recognising the severity of this issue and implementing measures.” It highlights existing or pending legislation in nations like Denmark, France, Norway, New Zealand and Greece.

“We believe the burden must be placed on technology platforms, not parents, to prevent underage access,” the MPs state. “We would support a framework akin to Australia’s that compels companies to take significant action to uphold age limits.”

Policy Challenges

This weight of parliamentary backing within the lower house places further pressure on the Prime Minister. Although he has earlier voiced reservations about the effectiveness of a ban, he recently stated to MPs he was open in principle to the idea.

Nevertheless, in recent days, officials have highlighted concerns that a ban could force children toward the dark web. They argue on the need to gather more data from the rollout in Australia before enacting a UK version.

“In principle, Keir is supportive of a ban. We can all see the harms and are concerned about what is happening to children and teenagers,” commented an insider. “But there are still big obstacles to overcome with implementation. We need to take our time and make sure we do this properly.”

Parliamentary Test

The Prime Minister's stance will face a direct test this week when members of the upper house vote on the proposed change by Conservative peer John Nash. This amendment to the legislation proposes introducing an age limit within a year the act is approved.

Although the Labour leadership has not stated its stance on the amendment, multiple Labour peers are anticipated to support it despite any instructions from whips.

Among them is former MP Luciana Berger, who has co-signed Lord Nash's amendment. She argued: “The plan for raising the social media age limit commands huge support – nationally and inside the Labour party. Social media is causing severe damage to children and we must take immediate action to protect them.”