How did Somerset MPs vote on social media ban for under 16s?

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On Monday night, MPs took to the House of Commons to vote on passing a bill, meaning that social media would be banned for children under the age of 16.

It is a bill that has been pushed by the Conservatives, with party leader Kemi Badenoch saying : “Social media is for adults, it is not for children.

“We need to police the age. That is easier than policing the content. Let’s have the freedom for adults. Freedom is not for children.”

The bill was backed by the House of Lords in January, before moving to a vote in the House of Commons.

The government proposed a motion to disagree with the Lords' amendment.

It was passed through, with 307 voting against the ban and 173 voting for.

So how did the MPs from Somerset vote?

Sir Ashley Fox - MP for Bridgwater

Sir Ashley Fox MP in Parliament (Image: Ashley Fox MP)

Ashley Fox has been vocal about his support of the bill. In January, he posted a video to his social media pages, in which he said: "Many parents in Bridgwater have written, concerned at the content that their children are exposed to online and in social media.

"Now, I believe that parents are primarily responsible for looking after and monitoring their children, but when they ask for a hand, we should help them.

"That's why I'm urging the Labour government to ban under-16s from social media."

The Bridgwater MP voted in favour of the ban.

Anna Sabine - MP for Frome and East Somerset

Anna Sabine, MP for Frome and East Somerset. (Image: supplied)

Anna Sabine MP also voted for the ban, alongside 60 other Liberal Democrats.

The MP took to Instagram after the vote, and said: "Voting on Bills in Parliament can be complicated, with lots of votes on small wording changes and amendments.
"Yesterday (March 9), we voted on the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill after it had been amended by the Lords.

"The government motion would have removed a Lords amendment to ban social media for under-16s.

"Whilst I don’t necessarily think a total ban in the Conservatives’ approach is the answer, I voted to support that amendment, along with the Liberal Democrats, because we believe urgent action is needed to protect children from harmful social media and something needs to be done to push further conversation."

Sarah Dyke, MP for Glastonbury and Somerton, Adam Dance, MP for Yeovil, and Gideon Amos, MP for Taunton and Wellington, all Liberal Democrats, voted for the social media ban.

Tessa Munt, MP for Wells and Mendip Hills, also voted for the ban.

Rachel Gilmour, MP for Tiverton and Minehead, did not record a vote on the motion.

The bill was voted against by 300 Labour MPs, with Prime Minister Kier Starmer launching a three-month consultation on the issue in March.

The bill will now return to the House of Lords for further consideration by peers, and will become law only when both houses agree on a final draft.

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