Labour MPs to step back from X over Musk changes

Labour MPs have claimed they are quitting or “stepping back” from Twitter/X as owner Elon Musk is accused of turning it into a “megaphone for far-right fringe groups”.

- MILLIE COOKE

Two MPs have reportedly told colleagues they are leaving X altogether, with Noah Law – MP for St Austell and Newquay – already having disabled his account. Others have said they are scaling back their use though they are still posting.

Labour veteran Diane Abbott told The Independent she is “limiting” her use of the platform, explaining: “The changes in X under Musk have made it worse. Only a handful of MPs would say it is better and they would mostly be Reform members.” Her last post was on Monday, about an Israeli airstrike, after a gap of four days.

Over the weekend, home office minister Jess Phillips said she is “sort of done” with the social media site, saying it has become a “bit despotic” and is “a place of misery now”.

While the MP for Birmingham Yardley, who still has an active profile, said it would be “too dramatic” to encourage people to quit the platform, she added: “Fundamentally for me now I think that I am sort of done with it, I don’t wish to fish in that particular pond any more.” Ms Phillips last posted on Sunday and Monday, with a gap of six days before that.