Sir Keir Starmer has been accused by bereaved parents of lacking the courage to protect young people after he ducked a vote on banning social media for under-16s.
The condemnation came in a scathing letter written to the prime minister from 22 parents of 16 teenagers who took their own lives.
The correspondence comes less than 24 hours after the government defeated an attempt in the Commons to bring in a social media ban for under-16s.
While the government has promised action, it has claimed that a complete ban, following the example of Australia, would not be the right thing to do.
But in a letter to Sir Keir, the parents begged him to ensure that no other parent or family member finds themselves in a similar position.
They said: “We have heard a great deal from your government in recent months about decisive leadership – promises to go faster and further than any administration before you. We noticed that these statements came amid mounting pressure from within your own party to raise the age limit for social media. We hoped that was coincidence.”
But they added: “It is becoming increasingly clear that it was not. For all your talk of leadership, you remain firmly on the fence when it comes to protecting children and preventing more avoidable deaths online.
“Nothing makes this clearer than your decision last night to personally absent yourself from the vote in the House of Commons on raising the social media age limit to 16, as did 107 of your MPs.”
They warned that regulating social media companies and keeping our children safe “is one of the defining challenges of our time”.
But they warned: “Yet your government cannot be any clearer that you prefer to avoid taking a position. We would go further: it has become clear that raising the age limit for harmful social media to 16 is far from your preferred option.
“Why, prime minister, when we devote our own time and energy to this cause at considerable personal cost, can you not spare a few minutes to vote in your own place of work and make your position known? Is it too much to ask that you share your view and back your convictions?”
They warned that the House of Lords will have another opportunity to vote for a legally binding commitment to raise the age limit.
“We will do everything we can to work with peers to ensure that happens – and that the matter returns to the Commons,” they added.
“We hope, prime minister, that you will find the courage to give an answer then.”
The ban has been backed by Tory leader Kemi Badenoch but resisted by Sir Keir’s government.
Education minister Olivia Bailey cited concerns from children's charities that an outright ban on under-16s using social media could drive them towards “less regulated corners of the internet”, or leave them “unprepared” for how to navigate the online world.
She said the government's consultation would “seek views to help shape our next steps” – which could ultimately still include banning children from platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
The Independent has approached Downing Street for comment.
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