Tom Tugendhat discusses parenting and phone use concerns

Tom Tugendhat, a Tory leadership candidate and former security minister, expressed his concerns about the online safety of his children during a recent interview at his home in Clapham, London. He emphasized that parents should have the authority to decide when their children can access social media and smartphones, rather than the government imposing age restrictions. Tugendhat, who has a seven-year-old daughter and a ten-year-old son, acknowledged the potential dangers of the internet, which he finds 'hugely worrying.' His comments come ahead of the Conservative Party's annual conference, where he aims to appeal to the party's more liberal members by advocating for parental control over children's online activities. This stance marks a departure from previous Conservative proposals that sought to enforce stricter regulations on social media usage among minors, highlighting Tugendhat's commitment to individual parental rights in the face of growing concerns about children's safety online.