Starmer edges closer to Australia-style social media ban for u-16s after Lords vote

Sir Keir Starmer has moved further towards a ban on social media for under-16s as the House of Lords pile on pressure to introduce an Australia-style crackdown.

Peers backed a ban on social media for under-16s on Wednesday, despite the prime minister’s efforts to head off the vote by launching a consultation on potential restrictions.

In a bid to further reassure peers, education minister Baroness Smith of Malvern said the government will bring forward a future amendment enabling government to enact the outcome of the consultation without the need for a further standalone law.

Technology secretary Liz Kendall announced a three-month consultation this week, which will consider the advantages and disadvantages of a ban, as well as possible overnight curfews and actions to prevent “doom-scrolling”, reporting back in the summer.

However, former schools minister Lord Nash said the consultation simply represents more delay.

The Tory peer argued the evidence is “overwhelming” for a ban, with support ranging from “medical professionals to our police and national intelligence community, from our teachers to hundreds of thousands of parents”.

But peers backed Tory Lord Nash’s amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill calling for an outright ban by 261 to 150, a majority of 111.

Sir Keir now faces the prospect of a backbench rebellion when it returns to the Commons, after more than 60 Labour MPs publicly called for Britain to follow Australia, which has become the first country to bar young people from social media.

Just hours before the vote the chief inspector of the schools watchdog, Oftsed, said he would have consulted on a potential ban sooner.

Sir Martyn Oliver said that while he welcomed the government's action it was "a little bit late".

Lord Nash, a former schools minister, rejected the consultation, arguing it meant more delay when there was alreday "overwhelming" evidence for a ban. "The time for delay and procrastination is over," he said.

His amendment had cross-party support and was co-sponsored by Labour peer Baroness Berger, Liberal Democrat peer Baroness Benjamin and the independent crossbench peer Baroness Cass.

Supporters of a ban say social media harming children's health, including their mental health, and is driving radicalisation and crime.

But opponents warn it could drive young people on to the dangerous ‘dark net’ .

At the weekend the NSPCC among others also said blanket bans were "a blunt response that fails to address the successive shortcomings of tech companies and governments to act decisively and sooner".

But filmmaker and children's rights campaigner Baroness Kidron said the announcement of a consultation was "an insult" to Parliament, parents and youngsters, and warned it would delay action to keep children safe online.

Earlier Sir Keir Starmer had told MPs the consultation would "look at expert and international evidence to get this right", including restrictions on age and addictive features as well as screen time use by under-fives.

The prime minister also pledged it would report by the summer.

A government spokesperson said: “We will take action to give children a healthier relationship with mobile phones and social media.

“It is important we get this right, which is why we are launching a consultation and will work with experts, parents and young people to ensure we take the best approach, based on evidence.”