Online Safety Act 2023: Online Hate and Racism

Lord Evans of Sealand Excerpts

Wednesday 5th November 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Evans of Sealand (Lab)]

My Lords, does my noble friend the Minister agree that if we are to tackle hate we must tackle the causes of hate? That requires a whole-government—indeed, a whole-nation—response. Given the truth of the African proverb, “A goat that belongs to everybody starves to death”, can he reassure me that there will be the necessary co-ordination, measurement and impetus to ensure that the necessary action is taken?

[Lord Katz (Lab)]

I thank my noble friend for the question and for making a very important point. This is a societal problem, and it requires societal solutions. From a government perspective, this is something that reaches across government. While the Online Safety Act is a DCMS instrument and Ofcom is responsible for enforcing it, the Government have made very clear our expectations of Ofcom in producing that enforcement regime.

At the same time, when we see more traditional forms of hate, we will not be afraid to act. That is why, for instance, in the wake of the terrible attack at the Heaton Park synagogue on Yom Kippur, the Prime Minister said that we must, as a country,

“come together and wrap our arms around”

the Jewish community. Personally, I very much welcome that. It is the spirit that we as a whole society need to act in tackling hate and providing reassurance to frightened communities. That is why we will not rest there. In the Crime and Policing Bill, which starts Committee on Monday, after Recess—I look forward to seeing noble Lords there—we will be introducing new public order measures that protect people and communities from egregious protest.