Online Safety Bill

Debate between Christian Wakeford and Lucy Powell

2nd reading
Tuesday 19th April 2022 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

I am not going to give way, sorry.

Before I get onto the specifics, I will address the main area of contention: the balance between free speech and regulation, most notably expressed via the “legal but harmful” clauses.

[Christian Wakeford (Bury South) (Lab)]

Will my hon. Friend give way?

[Lucy Powell]

I will give way one last time.

[Christian Wakeford]

I thank my hon. Friend. The Government have set out the priority offences in schedule 7 to the Bill, but legal harms have clearly not been specified. Given the torrent of racist, antisemitic and misogynistic abuse that grows every single day, does my hon. Friend know why the Bill has not been made more cohesive with a list of core legal harms, allowing for emerging threats to be dealt with in secondary legislation?