UK Attorney General Bans Office From Posting on X Over Safety Concerns
WHO:
The Guardian - Richard Hermer, Attorney General for England and Wales
The Guardian - Keir Starmer, leader of the UK Labour Party
The Guardian - Northern Irish MP who compared the disorder to a “pogrom”
WHAT:
The Guardian - Richard Hermer's office has been instructed to stop posting on X, marking it as the first UK government department to do so.
The Guardian - Eleven police officers were injured during violence in Southampton related to protests about the case of Henry Nowak.
The Guardian - Violence erupted in Belfast following calls for demonstrations by far-right activists in response to a stabbing incident.
WHERE:
The Guardian - Southampton, England
The Guardian - Belfast, Northern Ireland
WHEN:
The Guardian - The last post by Hermer’s office on X was made on a Friday prior to the article's publication.
The Guardian - Ministers plan to amend the Online Safety Act to require social media firms to act more quickly by mid-July 2026 at the earliest.
The Guardian - The media regulator, Ofcom, is awaiting a quarterly report on compliance from X, which is not due for at least two months.
WHY:
The Guardian - The decision to stop using X was made due to concerns about the platform inciting violence and racism, particularly after recent riots.
The Guardian - There are worries about how X is being used by bad actors to divide communities.
HOW:
The Guardian - The government plans to leave any official reprimand of X to Ofcom, the media regulator, which will take time to act.
(UPDATED June 19, 2026 12:22 UTC)
In a significant move, Richard Hermer, the Attorney General for England and Wales, has directed his office to cease posting on X, making it the first UK government department to take such action due to concerns about the platform inciting violence and racism. This decision comes amid rising tensions, as eleven police officers were injured during protests in Southampton related to the case of Henry Nowak, and violence erupted in Belfast following demonstrations called by far-right activists. Ministers are also planning to amend the Online Safety Act to ensure social media firms respond more swiftly to harmful content, with changes expected by mid-July 2026 at the earliest.