Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer has launched his own TikTok account, despite the app remaining banned from government devices due to security concerns. The move marks his latest attempt to connect directly with younger audiences.
A spokesman for Downing Street confirmed that “security mitigations” had been implemented to ensure the Prime Minister’s account could operate safely.
Starmer’s first post, filmed alongside his wife during the Downing Street Christmas lights switch-on, ended with a simple invitation: “TikTok, follow me.”
The second video captured Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky embracing Starmer outside No.10 before joining France’s President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz for talks on proposals to end the war in Ukraine.
TikTok Ban Remains in Force for Government Devices
The UK banned TikTok from government devices in March 2023 due to data security concerns linked to parent company ByteDance, mirroring restrictions in several other Western nations.
Before the ban, an official “10 Downing Street” TikTok account debuted in May 2022 under then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson but went quiet just three months later.
“Restrictions on the use of the app on most government devices remain in place and there’s no changes to our security policy when it comes to TikTok,” Starmer’s spokesman reiterated.
Keir Starmer Intensifies Digital Outreach Amid Low Polling
Starmer’s social media push comes as his government faces persistently low approval ratings. On Friday, he launched a Substack newsletter highlighting measures aimed at tackling child poverty.
“Communication is changing, and I want to be a part of that… That’s why I’m now on Substack,” he wrote on the platform.
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The government has also been courting influencers, recently giving two personal finance creators front row seats at a press conference.
Despite ongoing data concerns, TikTok remains one of the world’s most popular apps, with about 1.5 billion global users and more than 30 million regular users in the UK.
Starmer now joins other world leaders on the platform, including Macron, US President Donald Trump and Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
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