Today Host Slams Wes Streeting Over Social Media Ban Delay

Wes Streeting has been called out by a Today programme presenter for only calling for a under-16s social media ban once he is out of government.

The Labour backbencher quit as Keir Starmer’s health secretary earlier this month, claiming the prime minister was only offering voters a “vacuum” instead of a vision.

He has since insisted he has the backing of enough Labour MPs to challenge the prime minister, though he is yet to initiate a formal contest.

Streeting says he is waiting for the Makerfield by-election result, which could see Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham – another leadership hopeful – win a seat in parliament.

The Labour MP for Ilford North announced on Tuesday that he was in favour of a full social media ban for under-16s.

He said big tech firms know the product they’re creating is addictive and harmful and their business model relies on “getting kids while they’re young”.

Streeting told BBC Radio 4′s Today programme: “Legislators have been asleep at the wheel on this.”

He said: “Our approach to mobile phones and social media has been akin to basically saying kids need to learn woodwork, let’s give three-year-olds, five-year-olds, some saws, some nails and hammers and leave them unsupervised because they need to learn what happens.”

But presenter Anna Foster pointed out: “Until just a few weeks ago, you were a key legislator, you were in position as health secretary to have some real influence over this.

“But at that time, you didn’t call for a full ban for social media for under-16s. You said you were thinking about it, you said the issue worried you, but your words were not as strong as they are today.

“So when did you decide that a full ban is the answer?”

“While liberated from the obligations of collective responsibility, I can say exactly what I think,” Streeting hit back.

Foster replied: “That’s not very responsible though, is it? To the people…”

Streeting cut in: “If you let me finish the answer…”

The two spoke over one another, until the ex-health secretary said: “I can now say publicly what I think. I made the same arguments inside government.

“I made them at cabinet, I made them in a number of cabinet committees and meetings, where we were discussing issues surrounding education and wellbeing, and also violence against women and girls.”

“You didn’t make them in public!” Foster said. “Why didn’t you call for it in public? Are you letting people down by saying now, ‘I thought it all along, I didn’t say it in public, I didn’t back your campaigns because I couldn’t’?”

“Being in government means arguing your case privately and you’re bound by the ministerial code,” he said. “I pushed as hard as I could and frankly in media interviews I pushed the boundaries of government lines on any given day.”

He claimed the government is now in a better position, and praised technology secretary Liz Kendall for running a “rapid” consultation about restricting social media.

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