The comments made by Bridget Phillipson, the Secretary of State for Education, on 16 June 2026.
The Gestapo marched hundreds of thousands of innocent people to their deaths.
I’ve ended private schools’ tax breaks to invest in state schools.
No responsible leader makes vile comparisons like this. Kemi Badenoch is not fit to be Prime Minister.
The comments made by Zarah Sultana on 16 June 2026.
What’s wrong with the local comprehensive?
If state schools are good enough for everyone else, why not the future king?
Meanwhile, we’re expected to keep footing the bill.
One rule for them. Another for us.
Abolish the monarchy.
The comments made by Hamish Falconer, the Minister for the Middle East, on 16 June 2026.
The news of a US-Iran deal is a hugely significant moment and I am pleased to convey my personal thanks, and that of the UK, to Pakistan during my visit here in Islamabad. Pakistan has played a critical role in brokering this opportunity for regional stability and we stand ready to work together to support a path to lasting peace.
The UK-Pakistan partnership is critical for safeguarding global, regional and UK national security – working closely together to tackle terrorist threats, visa fraud and serious organised crime.
We are taking this partnership and our co-operation to a new level, with additional funding to deter illegal migration and target drivers from the source.
We remain grateful for the role Pakistan has played in facilitating negotiations. The UK and our partners will continue to work together to see the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
The comments made by Yvette Cooper, the Foreign Secretary, on 16 June 2026.
As the Kremlin resorts to ever more shady tactics to sustain its war, from its ageing shadow fleet to covert finance networks, the UK remains one step ahead in shutting them down.
These sanctions strike at the heart of these murky efforts, to starve Putin’s war machine and defend Britain’s security.
Shoulder to shoulder with our G7 partners, the UK will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes.
The comments made by Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, on 16 June 2026.
These sanctions target the vessels, the money and the actors propping up Russia’s war economy, and in turn, threatening European security.
Working with our G7 allies, we will continue to increase the pressure in Putin and his circle of collaborators until Russia’s war machine is brought to a halt and peace returns to our continent.
The statement made by Luke Pollard, the Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, in the House of Commons on 15 June 2026.
Before I turn to the matter before us, the whole House will want to join me in recognising the remarkable work of our armed forces this weekend. In the channel, UK forces bordered a sanctioned vessel from Russia’s shadow fleet to disrupt the flow of funds to Putin’s illegal war in the Ukraine. The Defence Secretary will be making a statement on that shortly.
These are extraordinary times for defence. The threats are real and they are increasing. It is no secret that I worked in lockstep with the former Defence Secretary, my right hon. Friend the Member for Rawmarsh and Conisbrough (John Healey). He is a friend and mentor. I was his deputy and I am still standing at the Dispatch Box because he asked me to stay and because we need continuity in this complex and difficult operational environment.
The DIP will be published before the NATO summit. Do we need to spend more on defence? Yes. Do the Prime Minister and the Chancellor agree with that? Yes. Are we spending more? Yes. This year the defence budget is £11 billion more than it was in the final year under the Conservatives. Are we learning the lessons from Ukraine? Yes. Are we retiring old kit to invest in new capabilities? Yes. Are we backing our people? Yes, with the biggest pay rise in 20 years and a £9 billion plan to fix the defence housing crisis that we inherited. It is working: intake is up 11.6%, outflow is down 8.9%, and morale is up.
To answer the Leader of the Opposition’s question directly: if asked to fight tonight, could our forces defend the UK? Yes, and they already do every single day. Are we planning to increase their capabilities to deter and defend the UK and our allies? Yes, we are. Would I like to go further? Of course.
The new Defence Secretary has stepped up to serve, as he has done before, sleeves rolled up and determined to meet the moment to get defence the best deal. Let me say plainly that I know the Prime Minister is committed to do so as well. He said in Munich:
“To meet the wider threat, it is clear that we are going to have to spend more faster.”
And at the weekend, he said
“3% in the next Parliament…defence will be the number one priority at every spending review, including the next spending review.”
The disagreement in recent weeks was never about whether we should fund our forces; it was about how fast we increase the spending for defence and on what capabilities. That is a serious argument to have—I make no apology for pushing hard within the Government to win it, because that is the job. But the job is also a team sport, and that is why the Ministry of Defence, with the new Defence Secretary, is working with the Treasury, other Government Departments and No. 10 to get this right.
The comments made by Lindsay Hoyle, the Speaker of the House of Commons, in the House on 15 June 2026.
Before we begin, I would like to pay tribute to Lord Hattersley, who died yesterday. Roy was a giant of the Labour movement, holding the role of deputy leader as well as serving as a Minister. He was a long-serving and dedicated Member of both Houses, working alongside my father Doug. He represented Birmingham Sparkbrook as its MP for more than three decades before being appointed to the House of Lords, where he served for two decades. Roy devoted his life to politics, public duty and writing. I am sure the thoughts of the whole House are with his family and friends.
The comments made by Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, on 15 June 2026.
A ban on social media for under-16s is the right step to protect young people and one I’ve called for.
But bans only treat the symptom, not the problem.
Social media companies need to re-imagine their platforms so they can offer a safe and healthy environment for all users, where restricting access wouldn’t be necessary.
There’s nothing inevitable about algorithms which feed us a diet of dangerous content. Londoners deserve platforms which prioritise people, not just profit.
The comments made by Ed Davey, the Leader of the Liberal Democrats, on 15 June 2026.
It looks as though Vladimir Putin may have ordered an arson attack against the British Prime Minister last year.
That is an incredibly serious escalation and shows why we must redouble our efforts with Ukraine and the rest of Europe to resist and deter Putin’s aggression.
The statement made by Liz Kendall, the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology on 15 June 2026.
Madam Deputy Speaker, today marks a defining moment for our children, and future generations.
As we lay the foundations for a new settlement for the online world.
To ensure children have the best start in life.
To give them freedom to be children again.
And so we put power back into parents’ hands.
Up and down the country parents are grappling with social media.
What their children are seeing. How much screen time they should have. Who they are communicating with. And if they are safe.
Many children love connecting and interacting on social media. But others struggle with their mental health, concentration and self-esteem.
And the police, children’s charities and far too many tragically bereaved families have seen for themselves the serious risks and harm social media brings.
While these concerns are widely shared, there are different, often strongly held views about the best way forward.
That is why we launched our consultation on growing up in the online world, to make sure everyone’s voices were heard.
The response has been overwhelming.
We’ve had 116,000 replies. Including 54,000 from parents and 14,000 from children.
We’ve heard from charities, teachers’ organisations, the police and medical professionals.
And from countless members of Parliament too.
Not only the Science and Technology and Education Select Committees, but individual Members including the Hon Members for Plymouth Moor View, Croydon East, Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy, Dunfermline and Dollar and so, so many more besides.
The progress report we publish today sets out lots of different perspectives.
But overwhelmingly our consultation showed parents and children are concerned about what they’re being exposed to online.
Harmful content. Content that is completely inappropriate for their age. Abuse and exploitation. They are worried about the impact on sleep, school, children’s physical health, and their emotional wellbeing too.
Above all, parents are crying out for change.
9 out of 10 who responded to the consultation told us they want an outright ban on social media.
As did three quarters in our large-scale representative survey and 113,000 parents who signed Daisy and Joe’s Smartphone Free Childhood petition.
Keeping children safe online has been my top priority since day one in this job.
I’ve listened to calls, especially from bereaved families, that we need to act as quickly as possible.
So today I can announce our first steps, with more to come next month.
And I can confirm, we will ban social media companies providing their services to under 16s.
And we are doing this to give greater protections to children.
Greater clarity for parents and carers.
And to set a new social norm for future generations.
My intention is to lay regulations on a ban, and have a vote on it, by the end of this year.
With the ban coming into effect early 2027.
We plan to use the same model as Australia, covering:
User-to-user platforms that allow users to post material, alongside algorithms.
So our ban will include platforms like Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X.
Because we want to make sure we don’t include educational services, e-commerce platforms or music streaming, there will be a narrowly defined list of exemptions. Which we will of course keep under review.
Madam Deputy Speaker, I have also listened to parents to civil society and to many MPs in this House, including the Members for Putney, Lowestoft, Congleton, and Newcastle upon Tyne about the need to go further.
So I can today announce our first steps in restricting a wider range of features and functions that create risks for young people.
Because it can open the door to vile child abuse, we will ban livestreaming for under 16s across all platforms.
And we will ban communication with strangers, including in gaming, to stop paedophiles meeting and grooming children.
And Madam Deputy Speaker we are not stopping there.
AI chatbots are a top concern of parents who responded to our consultation, particularly those that mimic intimate relationships and exploit vulnerabilities.
The Children’s Commissioner, and my Hon Friends the Members for Aylesbury and Milton Keynes Central, have also raised this issue.
So today Britain is becoming the first country in the world to ban chatbots that offer sexualised content to under 18s.
And we will restrict this functionality on general purpose chatbots too.
We know there are also really serious concerns about other AI chatbots, like therapy apps.
But I recognise that some of these may have benefits, so I am working closely with the Department of Health, and others, to assess the evidence.
And I will come back to the House on this issue – and wider measures on AI chatbots – in a further statement next month.
Madam Deputy Speaker, we also want to address concerns about a “cliff edge” when you turn 16 – an age when many young people should be especially focused on their futures, and on exams.
So I can today announce live streaming, and stranger communication including in gaming, will be switched off by default for 16- and 17-year-olds.
I am also strongly minded to bring in default overnight curfews and breaks in infinite scrolling for 16- and 17-year-olds.
And I will set out further details once our pilot schemes are finished in my next statement in July.
Madam Deputy Speaker, I know that not everybody supports a ban.
I have listened carefully to these concerns and want to take each in turn.
First, we’ve seen in Australia that many children will try and succeed in getting around a ban. That is inevitable when social media has been such an integral part of their lives.
So we will introduce more highly effective age assurance measures to better support compliance, and I have asked Ofcom to share proposals on these within months.
However, I want to be clear to parents, and to members of this House, that our ban is as much about helping future generations and resetting social norms in future, as it is about young people today.
Second, people worry that a ban would push children onto riskier, less regulated sites.
This is something I really take extremely seriously.
So I have had a long conversation with and written to Ofcom and the new chair to stress, once again, that enforcement of both the Online Safety Act and our new ban must be a top priority.
That they must focus rigorously on this, including riskier sites.
And to ask for an urgent review of whether Ofcom has the right capabilities in place.
I have also asked them to publish a clear enforcement strategy and an annual report to Parliament on how this strategy is progressing.
Third, we must prepare children for the online world, which will inevitably be part of their lives.
Now many schools are already doing this.
But from September this year, every pupil across England will learn about social media in the classroom, including about AI and how to spot deepfakes.
My department has also produced new advice for parents on how to talk to children about the online world called “you won’t know if you don’t ask”. So schools and parents together, preparing children for the future.
And last but by no means least, the NSPCC – and the Hon Members for Kettering, Hertford and Stortford and North West Cambridgeshire – have rightly raised the importance of ensuring all young people can access information, trusted support and exciting activities, especially if they’re no longer spending so much time online.
And we are delivering on this too.
The Education Secretary and Culture Secretary are expanding what’s on offer in every school and beyond the classroom, including in after school clubs, in the holidays and at weekends by support for a wide range of enrichment activities like art, music, sport, cooking, camping and museum visits.
Things that were once only available for those who could afford them. Now for every pupil in England.
And in stark contrast to Members opposite, who cut youth services by 75% we are investing £500m in our National Youth Strategy – “Youth Matters” – so children from all walks of life, wherever they live, can access youth services, sport and the arts.
Madam Deputy speaker, my driving force, the reason I came into politics, has always been, and will always be, to give every child, from every background, the best possible start in life.
Because that’s how they and our country succeed.
Today we take a decisive step towards creating a safer, healthier life for our children and future generations.
Giving children their childhood back.
I am clear eyed about all the challenges social media brings – for adults as well as for children – and that technology constantly changes.
So today’s announcement is not “one and done”, or the end of the story.
There is still much more to do.
But this is a landmark day.
A day when we stand with parents, charities, bereaved families and all those who have campaigned for change.
This is your moment.
It is a day when we take power away from the tech giants – who have had countless opportunities to keep children safe and put it in back in parents’ hands.
A day when we give our children the freedom to be children again.
So they have the best possible start in life.
And I commend this statement to the House.