Keir Starmer says a compulsory ban on telephones in faculties is ‘utterly pointless’ in fiery PMQs conflict over Labour block on regulation change
Sir Keir Starmer branded a full ban on mobile phones in schools ‘completely unnecessary’ today as he came under pressure over classroom discipline.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch took aim after Labour blocked a proposal to bar the use of smartphones in educational settings.
If successful the amendment would have forced a change to Labour’s flagship Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, and it was also backed by the Liberal Democrats, Green Party and Reform UK.
But the PM said he will not go to ‘battle’ with schools who already have the power to ban phones if they want to.
Responding to Ms Badenoch asking about the ban he told the Commons: ‘It’s completely unnecessary.
‘I’ve got teenage children. Almost every school bans phones in school. They do it already.
‘We need to concentrate on what’s really important here, which is getting to the content that children shouldn’t be accessing. That’s where I would genuinely like to work across the House because I think there’s a huge amount of work to do.
‘But the battle is not with schools that are already banning phones in school. The battle – and this is an important emerging battle – is to work together to ensure that we can ensure that the content that children are accessing wherever they are is suitable for their age.’
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch took aim after Labour blocked a proposal to bar the use of smartphones in educational settings.
But the PM said he will not go to ‘battle’ with schools who already have the power to ban phones.
Mrs Badenoch claimed that just one in 10 schools are smartphone free.
Mrs Badenoch asked: ‘If the ban is unnecessary, then why is it that they started a review?
‘Just last week his Education Secretary (Bridget Phillipson) called a ban a ”gimmick”, yet teachers and headteachers already say the evidence already shows that schools that ban phones get better results.’
On Monday last week Labour MPs defeated the Conservative amendment which would have forced headteachers to introduce a policy that stopped the use and carrying of phones by pupils in schools.
The UK’s chief medical officers would also have had to publish advice for parents on the use of smart phones and social media.
The amendment was supported by the Lib Dems, whose education spokeswoman Munira Wilson said that children’s social media and phone addiction should be treated as a ‘public health issue’.
Mrs Badenoch today claimed that just one in 10 schools are smartphone free and added: ‘So, will he U-turn on this?’
Sir Keir replied: ‘We need to ensure that all schools do this – but the vast majority do.’
He added: ‘It is really important that we focus on the battle we have to have with mobile phones, which is the content that children are able to access.
Mrs Badenoch asked: ‘If the ban is unnecessary, then why is it that they started a review? ‘Just last week his Education Secretary (Bridget Phillipson, pictured) called a ban a ”gimmick”, yet teachers and headteachers already say the evidence already shows that schools that ban phones get better results.’
‘We need to ensure that that is controlled wherever they are, so it’s a question of having the right battle on the right issue, not wasting time on something where almost all schools are already banning mobile phones.’
A survey last month found that 100 per cent of primary schools have a ban on mobile phone use.
A similar ban in in place in 83 per cent of secondary schools, with a further 16 per cent allowing limited use outside lessons. Just one per cent of secondary schools polled by Teacher Tapp did not regulate use.
