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Kemi Badenoch refuses to allow her child to have a smartphone and would ban them for under-16s, she said yesterday.
The Conservative leader revealed that she had given a ‘brick’ phone to her 11-year-old daughter who had had just started secondary school.
She told the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg on Sunday: ‘We need to give our children the very best start in life.
‘We didn’t have these things when we were young and even as adults we find it addictive. If adults are addicted to this, then what chance do children have?’
Ms Badenoch added that teachers had told her that children who have smartphones had lower levels of concentration than children who didn’t.
‘I am someone who strongly believes that young people should not be using smartphones, ideally up until the age of 16,’ she said.
‘I have a child who’s nearly 12, she’s just started secondary school, she’s not been given a smartphone, she has a brick phone.
‘And the reason why is because it is very difficult to control the sorts of information that they are getting.’
The Conservative leader revealed that she had given a ‘brick’ phone to her 11-year-old daughter who had had just started secondary school
Ms Badenoch made the comments this morning when she was quizzed on the BBC show by Laura Kuenssberg alongside Chancellor Rachel Reeves
The Tory leader said teachers had told her that children who have smartphones had lower levels of concentration than children who didn’t (file image)
The Tories are trying to ban smartphones in schools by tabling an amendment to the Government’s education bill.
The last Conservative government issued guidance to schools to stop the use of mobile phones during lunch, as well as in lessons.
But now the Tories are trying to amend Government legislation to bring in a ban to stop pupils using mobile phones and devices during the school day.
Shadow education secretary Laura Trott told Times Radio yesterday that she hoped MPs would back her call.
‘We took some steps when we were in government, but we know now even more about the harm and damage this does to children’s education,’ she said.
‘There is evidence to show that actually not enough schools are smartphone-free, and so we’re putting forward an amendment to make sure that the under-16s are banned from these smartphones.’
She said it would be up to head teachers to decide how to enforce that
Asked whether it was a Luddite approach to ban smartphones, Ms Trott said that there was evidence that children performed worst in exams when smartphones were present in schools.
Shadow education secretary Laura Trott (pictured) told Times Radio yesterday that she hoped MPs would back her call
She said that parents, children and teachers were worried about the phones and that ministers should step in to prevent harm.
She added there should be a ‘conversation’ about whether to ban smartphones outside of school and around children’s access to social media.
Australia has recently introduced legislation for a smartphone and social media ban for children under 16.
‘Something that we can do, and we can do right now is ban smartphones in schools, and what we need the government to do is accept our amendment, push this forward, make this happen, stop the damage that’s happening at the moment,’ she said.
