Parents, not politicians, are the best people to raise children.

No council, government or politician can replace the love, intuition and day-to-day care of a family.

I have seen this firsthand as a parent myself, and through the hundreds of families I have supported since my election as an MP.

Yet the pressures on childhood in modern Britain have rarely been greater.Parenting has never been easy, but modern life has intensified the challenge in ways previous generations could scarcely imagine.

Bullies have always existed in schools. Smartphones have given them a 24-hour audience. What once ended at the school gate now follows children home, into bedrooms, holidays and every quiet moment through relentless notifications, group chats and often anonymous attacks.

Evidence from Portugal shows what can happen when action is taken. After introducing strict national rules banning smartphones in schools, bullying among under-12s fell by 59 percent.

Schools also reported fewer behaviour problems, more face-to-face conversations, greater use of libraries and playgrounds, and happier, more engaged pupils.

Sometimes the simplest change - removing the device - can transform the environment.

Many parents across our area, from special schools to state and independent schools, have told me the same thing: they want smartphones banned in schools to help restore focus, friendship and safety.

That is why Conservatives voted for it in Parliament twice, including this week. Sadly, the Government voted against it, choosing consultation and delay instead.

The same pattern emerged on social media. We pushed to raise the minimum age to 16 and strengthen enforcement on platforms. Again, the Government opposed it.

These votes were about giving parents practical tools to protect what matters most.Social media companies are now among the most powerful forces on earth. Their algorithms are designed to capture and hold attention, often at the expense of young minds.

Children are especially vulnerable: dopamine hits from likes, endless scrolling, exposure to harmful content, cyberbullying and worse. Parents can and do set boundaries at home, but no parent can compete with billion-dollar addiction machines designed to keep children hooked.

This is where government has a legitimate role: not to replace parents, but to back them. Clear national rules, sensible age limits, robust age verification and real accountability for tech companies would mean parents do not have to fight these battles alone.

We are reaching a turning point. We can allow technology to keep reshaping childhood unchecked, or we can act decisively to support families and protect the next generation.

As your MP, I will keep pushing for measures that empower parents rather than undermine them. Because childhood should be shaped by families, not by Silicon Valley algorithms.