Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has abandoned Elon Musk’s X platform, taking her entire department with her — and declaring the site “isn’t healthy for our democracy or our communities”.
In what appeared to be her final post on the platform, Nandy wrote that “a platform originally designed for free speech and expression now favours abuse and misinformation over meaningful debate”. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport becomes the second government department to leave X, following the attorney general’s office.
“Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy quits X with her department, calling the platform a threat to democracy.”
The move drew an immediate rebuke from Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, who said on X that DCMS “is supposed to counter and deal with misinformation, not run away because it’s all too much”.
Downing Street, however, signalled it would continue using the platform. A spokeswoman for No 10 said it kept its use of social media “under review”, adding that it was up to individual ministers and their departments whether they remained on X. Nandy said she would continue to use Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.
The decision follows a wave of controversy over the platform’s role in public debate. In June, Attorney General Lord Hermer defended his own office’s departure, telling MPs that X “constantly descends to racism and misogyny” and that his department “can do better”. He added: “For the work that I can do, I can engage with people in serious debate, detailed debate, respectful debate, without being on a platform that constantly descends to racism and misogyny.”
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has accused Musk of using X to “whip up division” in the UK after the murder of student Henry Nowak last month. Bodycam footage of the 18-year-old handcuffed and dying on the pavement while his killer Vickrum Digwa walked free triggered violent protests in Southampton. Musk criticised the police treatment of Nowak, and the footage prompted widespread political reaction.
Several MPs, including Liberal Democrats Layla Moran and Vikki Slade, and Labour’s Darren Paffey, left X earlier this year after reports that its AI tool Grok was being used to create sexualised images, including of children. X has previously said: “Anyone using or prompting Grok to make illegal content will suffer the same consequences as if they upload illegal content.”
But with Downing Street staying put and Badenoch condemning the walkout, the question now is whether other departments will follow — or whether Nandy’s protest will remain an isolated stand against a platform she no longer trusts.