Labour MPs Call For A More Serious Review Of The Government's Use Of X
Billionaire Elon Musk addressed crowds at the Unite The Kingdom Rally organised by far-right activist Tommy Robinson in September (Alamy)
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Labour MPs are calling for ministers to take control of decisions over the government’s continued use of X, as concerns grow about the platform’s safety, political influence and role in amplifying extremist content.
The Government Communication Service (GCS) is currently carrying out a review of the government’s use of X, formerly known as Twitter, for advertising and communications, PoliticsHome understands.
The ongoing assessment is carried out under the SAFE framework and is intended to advise ministers on whether changes are needed in response to recent shifts in how the platform operates.
However, multiple MPs have told PoliticsHome that this approach is not sufficient, complaining that it lacks rigour and political accountability. They argued that ministers should take the issue of where government communications are published more seriously, and not leave it in the hands of civil servants.
PoliticsHome understands the current review process is relatively informal, conducted without ministerial oversight, and takes place on an ad hoc basis when officials judge that a “material change” has occurred on a platform. The SAFE framework remains the only system through which government platforms are assessed, and the guidance for the government’s use of X was last updated in 2023.
Labour MP Sarah Owen, chair of the Women and Equalities Committee, told PoliticsHome the government must take seriously “the threat X poses to our country’s democracy and social cohesion”.
She said that the government must undertake a “thorough, minister-led” review of its use of the website, given the “changing and ever-increasing risk it poses to our political system”.
The Labour MP, who left the platform last year, said it “promotes state-run bots, racists, antisemites, islamophobes, homophobes, misogynists” and “very rarely removes disinformation, threatening or harmful material”.
“Its entire model is to profit from hatred and fear,” she said.
“It is also no longer a space for domestic political engagement, with many followers being bots or international actors, paid to destabilise our democracy and sow division.
“There is no obligation for government departments to use X. The platform has not been a sensible space for a long time, and we should stop lending it any sense of legitimacy by continuing to treat it as a mainstream tool.”
Labour MP Samantha Niblett, who worked in the technology sector before being elected last year, agreed that the government should depart the platform entirely.
“As an MP, I don’t use it to engage with constituents, it’s for broadcasting to journalists,” she said.
“Journalists who would follow the government if it chose another platform to communicate on.”
There has been growing concern about the impact of X on British politics in recent months. X owner Elon Musk’s appearance at the Unite the Kingdom rally in London in September, where he appeared via video link and seemed to incite violence, prompted senior Labour MPs to call for tougher regulation and reduced government presence on the platform.
The Speaker’s Conference report earlier this month on MPs’ security found that X often fails to act on abusive content, even when it crosses the criminal threshold, and that its recommendation algorithm appears to promote incendiary material.
A Sky News investigation reached similar conclusions, finding evidence that the platform's algorithm and owner Musk's own amplification of certain accounts disproportionately amplify right-wing voices.
The platform is also financially rewarding some politicians for high engagement levels, including independent MP Rupert Lowe, who, as of September, had earned almost £40,000 since his election last year.
“The recent Sky research showed X to have zero credibility when it comes to balance, and it’s a breeding ground for the far right who have no interest in the good work of this Labour government,” Niblett added.
“And its owner is trying to interfere in our democracy.”
Ben Goldsborough, another backbench Labour MP, added: “By maintaining a presence there, the government risks granting legitimacy to a platform that undermines the very principles we stand for.
“It’s high time ministers took control of this issue, commissioned a full review into X’s failings, and followed through on the clear conclusion: the government should stop using it.”
Multiple other Labour MPs have privately expressed similar concerns and have been attempting to persuade individual ministers in the Cabinet Office to consider the issue more seriously.
A government spokesperson said: "We regularly assess our use of social media and all its channels to ensure we communicate effectively with the public and are in compliance with our high standards.
"Whilst the latest review is ongoing, it is important we continue to provide verified and accurate information on channels that are accessed daily by millions of people in the UK."
