Lisa Nandy announces government department will leave X

The UK Government’s Department of Culture, Media and Sport is set to leave social media platform X, the second government department to do so.

Culture secretary Lisa Nandy, who also confirmed she would leave the platform in a personal capacity, said it “isn’t healthy for our democracy”.

Ministers have been under growing pressure to leave the platform, previously known as Twitter, following concerns about misinformation and its role in AI-generated sexualised images.

The attorney general’s office became the first department to stop using the platform last month.

Attorney General for England and Wales Richard Hermer is reported to have told officials to no longer use it due to concerns over racism and violence.

Announcing the decision for her department, Nandy said: “I've decided to leave this platform and my department will too.

“A platform originally designed for free speech and expression now favours abuse and misinformation over meaningful debate. It isn't healthy for our democracy or our communities and I don’t want to support it.”

Labour MPs last year urged government ministers to reconsider the use of X amid concerns about safety, political influence, and its role in amplifying extremist content.

A review is currently underway by the Government Communication Service.

The UK Government suspended all paid advertising on the platform in April 2023, but ministers have largely resisted coming off the site entirely due to the high number of Brits who still use it.

The Scottish Government also continues to use X, although it also has not paid for any advertising since March 2023. It said X was one of a range of platforms used to “increase public awareness and encourage uptake of key policies”.