Attorney General for England and Wales Richard Hermer has instructed his department to no longer use the social media platform X amid concerns over disinformation and the inciting of violence.
The instruction from Hermer would mark the first exit from a current UK minister from the platform which has been synonymous with political and government communications over the years, first reported by the Observer.
The Labour government has not had an easy relationship with X owner Elon Musk, who has been vocal in his support for far right challenger parties and has repeatedly called for the removal of Sir Keir Starmer and his government.
While it has become understood by government figures and regulators that disinformation, including instances that have inspired real life violence in the UK, has become a major issue on the platform, the prime minister has maintained that its reach and common usage among politicians means it is still a useful tool.
The tide may be turning further away from platforms like X, with the recent announcement of an under-16s social media plan showing and multiple UK investigations into illegal activity carried with the X AI bot Grok proving the government is not entirely opposed to clashes with Musk.
Hermer reportedly made the decision for his office to quit posting on the platform after recent riots in Southampton and Belfast, with concerns that racist violence was being invoked and incited on X.
The government has previously said it would enforce a total ban of X if it was determined to be necessary by Ofcom.
Read more: Government will ‘support’ X ban should Ofcom recommend it
