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Starmer Joins TikTok With Festive Debut as No 10 Cites Security Safeguards

Downing Street says security mitigations permit the account despite a 2023 ban on TikTok for most government devices.

Overview

  • The prime minister’s first post is a 13‑second clip from the No 10 Christmas lights switch‑on, featuring a brief message of “TikTok, follow me.”
  • A subsequent upload shows Keir Starmer greeting Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky outside Downing Street.
  • No 10 said restrictions on TikTok across most government devices remain unchanged, with technical mitigations enabling the prime minister’s presence on the platform.
  • Officials frame the move as part of a wider communications shift that includes a new Substack newsletter, influencer access at briefings, and existing UK government and ministerial TikTok accounts.
  • Reaction online has been mixed, with praise and mockery reported, as outlets note TikTok’s large UK audience of more than 30 million regular users.