Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to unveil a crackdown on children's access to social media within days, after a week in which he met the grieving family of a teenager murdered in an attack that exposed deep failures in policing.
The prime minister said he was 'profoundly humbled' to meet the family of Henry Nowak at Downing Street on Thursday, following widespread outrage over bodycam footage that showed police handcuffing the 18-year-old as he lay dying. Nowak had been stabbed by Vickrum Digwa, who falsely claimed he was the victim of a racist attack. Digwa, 23, was given a life sentence with a minimum of 21 years.
“Starmer meets Henry Nowak's family and prepares to announce social media restrictions for children within days.”
'Henry deserves a legacy that goes beyond this awful tragedy,' Starmer said after a private meeting with his father Mark Nowak, mother Lucy Ross and stepmother Katie Woodcock. 'I am determined that we do everything in our power to prevent other families from suffering such a devastating loss.'
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is examining Hampshire Constabulary’s actions on the night of the murder. An inquest jury will look at whether a police act or omission caused or contributed to Nowak’s death; it is due in September 2025, though the coroner hopes to bring the date forward.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, who also met the family, called for a review of religious practices or exemptions 'that permit the carrying of dangerous weapons in public'. Nowak was stabbed with a ceremonial knife that Digwa said he carried as part of his Sikh faith.
Now, Starmer is preparing to announce a new policy on social media restrictions for children in a speech planned for next week. The move marks a shift for the prime minister, who was previously resistant to such curbs. Under pressure from the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and dozens of Labour MPs, the government launched a public consultation on a ban in March. When it closed last month, Starmer vowed 'decisive' measures that would be a 'game-changer'.
Options examined by ministers include a blanket ban on under-16s accessing social media, as introduced in Australia, as well as exemptions for less harmful elements.
Next week is already critical for Starmer: he will spend several days at the G7 summit in France, while the Makerfield by-election – where Andy Burnham is Labour’s candidate – takes place on Thursday. The prime minister is trying to reclaim the political agenda from a contest that has dominated Westminster attention.
'Hopefully the by-election result will give the PM the breathing space he needs to focus on delivering for families,' said a Labour source, speaking on condition of anonymity.