Sir Keir Starmer has revealed he is watching Netflix’s Adolescence with his family and supports a campaign for it to be shown in parliament and schools.

The drama, starring Stephen Graham, depicts the aftermath of the stabbing of a teenage girl – as a 13-year-old boy from her school is arrested for her murder.

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Graham and co-writer Jack Thorne have said they want it to be a show that “causes discussion and makes change”, after it was hailed by critics and topped Netflix’s charts around the world.

Asked by Labour MP Anneliese Midgley if he backs the creators’ calls for it to be aired in parliament and schools, Sir Keir said he does.

He told PMQs: “At home we are watching Adolescence. I’ve got a 16-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl, and it’s a very good drama to watch.

“This violence carried out by young men, influenced by what they see online, is a real problem.

“It’s abhorrent, and we have to tackle it.”

MPs want tougher action on online safety

Sir Keir’s commitment came as Sky News learned around 25 Labour MPs who want tougher action on online safety have formed an informal group and are due to meet next week.

It could pressure the government to take more radical steps, after a private member’s bill to raise the age of social media consent from 13 to 16 was watered down because ministers didn’t support the measure.

The changes were criticised by Thorne in a recent interview with Sky News, accusing the government of being “frightened of big tech”.

Johnathan Brash is among the MPs who backs showing Adolescence in parliament and schools, telling Sky News he found it “so powerful and distressing I immediately went upstairs and gave my son a hug”.

The Labour MP for Hartlepool, whose son is eight, said elements of the show could be shown in primary school “with discretion” so children understand the dangers before they are using social media.

He said he will raise the issue with officials at the Department for Education to ensure Sir Keir’s “extremely supportive” words are followed through on.

Mr Brash said the government must “protect children from an environment that is increasing hostile and dangerous”.

It comes after Sky News revealed teenagers are regularly being served up “horrific” content on social media apps, including violent and sexually explicit material.

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Government ‘alert’ to ‘toxic influencers’

Speaking after PMQs, Sir Keir’s spokesman called Adolescence “an incredibly powerful programme that shows the threat of young men carrying out violence from seeing things online”.

“Insidious misogyny taking root will be tackled,” he added, though he did not say how.

He also said the government is “alert to and taking on” issues raised by Sir Gareth Southgate, after the ex-England manager hit out at “manipulative and toxic influencers” who trick young men into thinking women are against them.

The Online Safety Act, which is being implemented this year, is intended to protect young people from illegal and harmful content with fines for platforms who break the rules coming in this summer.

However, MPs from across the political spectrum want further action to tackle the amount of time children spend on their smartphones.

The Tories want the government to force teachers to ban smartphones from schools, with shadow education secretary Laura Trott revealing she is so concerned she won’t allow her children to have one until they are 16.

The government has resisted the measure, saying teachers already have the power to ban phones.

Drag queen James Lee Williams – known as “The Vivienne”- died after taking ketamine, their family has said.

Williams, who won the first series of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK in 2019 under their drag name, was found dead at the age of 32 at their home in Cheshire on 5 January.

In a statement shared in an Instagram story today, Williams’ manager Simon Jones said the “family and I feel it is important to say how James tragically died”.

Mr Jones continued: “We hope that by us releasing this information, we can raise awareness about the dangers of ongoing ketamine usage and what it can do to your body.

“Ketamine usage is on the rise, particularly amongst young people, and I don’t think the full dangers of the drug are being discussed.”

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Mr Jones added that he and the family are working with mental health and addiction service Adferiad on a campaign to “raise vital awareness and give information on how to get help if you are struggling with ketamine usage”.

Williams reportedly died after suffering a cardiac arrest caused by ketamine – a general anaesthetic that is also used as a recreational drug,

Donna Chaves, from Adferiad, said: “We are incredibly grateful to James’s family for choosing to support and work with us on this campaign.

“Their courage in sharing James’s story will help raise vital awareness of the devastating impact substance use can have. We are seeing a worrying rise in the number of people using ketamine, often unaware of the serious risks it poses to their physical and mental health.

“Addiction can affect anyone, and too many people suffer in silence due to stigma and lack of understanding.

“By opening conversations and challenging misconceptions, we can help prevent further tragedies and support those in need to find hope and recovery.”

An inquest into the death of Williams was opened and adjourned at Cheshire Coroner’s Court in Warrington last month.

The TV personality, who grew up in Colwyn Bay, North Wales, before moving to Liverpool, came third in the 2023 edition of Dancing On Ice.

The star performed as the Wicked Witch of the West in a UK and Ireland tour of The Wizard Of Oz musical and reprised the role in the West End at the Gillian Lynne Theatre last year.

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They were due back on stage this month as the Childcatcher in a tour of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, a role they first played last year.

Their funeral in Bodelwyddan, Denbighshire, North Wales, was attended by RuPaul’s Drag Race UK contestants Tia Kofi and Baga Chipz, along with Steps singer Ian “H” Watkins, TV personality Kim Woodburn and Coronation Street actress Claire Sweeney.

The government is seeking expert advice after illegal use of ketamine surged to record levels.

In the year ending March 2023, an estimated 299,000 people aged 16 to 59 had reported use of the substance, which is controlled as class B, according to the Home Office.

According to the UK national anti-drug advisory service Frank, ketamine reduces sensations in the body which can make users feel dream-like and detached, chilled, relaxed and happy, but also confused and nauseated.

A full inquest into the death of The Vivienne was listed to take place on 30 June.

The boss of an iconic jazz bar says he’s been left “surprised” and “confused” after his late licence application for a London site was turned down, making him question support for live music in the capital.

Steven Bensusan – president of Blue Note Entertainment Group and son of the original Blue Note Cafe founder Danny Bensusan – told Sky News: “If they’re not giving us a late licence, I can’t imagine how they would be supportive of other smaller venues, which are important for the ecosystem in general.

“For music to survive and continue to thrive and grow, you need the feeder venues. They need the smaller venues, and you need the venues like the Blue Note. It’s important for the music.”

The planned venue at a former gym on St Martin’s Lane, Covent Garden, had been set to become the bar’s flagship European site.

The club had applied to Westminster City Council to remain open until 1am serving alcohol.

However, in February, the Met Police objected to the jazz club’s application over fears it could cause an “uptick in crime”.

Responding to the refusal, Mr Bensusan said: “In every city that we’ve ever opened the club they’ve rolled out the red carpet and really tried to go above and beyond and want us there because they realise that we’re good for the economy.

“We generate a lot of jobs and we bring not just nightlife but a cultural moment to the city. I’ve never experienced this before.”

‘There seems to be a bigger problem’

Many of the capital’s nightlife venues have been struggling since the pandemic and Brexit, amid the cost of living crisis, rising rents and decreasing footfall.

Mr Bensusan says the rejection of his late licence highlights a bigger issue: “There seems to be a problem in general. A lot of music venues have closed over the years since COVID and they’re not coming back. Many people believe it has to do with a lot of restrictive policies like this.”

While Mr Bensusan has flagged the “more mature and respectful” nature of the jazz audience, police concerns seem to be around guests falling prey to crime rather than perpetrating it.

In their objection, the Met said jazz fans “leaving the venue late at night” could become a target for phone snatchers as well as illegal taxis who “prey on vulnerable, intoxicated lone females”.

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Local residents also urged councillors to limit the venue’s closing time to 11pm, with one saying they feared “inebriated” club visitors, “disorientated by their emergence into the cool night air” would be “immediately vulnerable to the gangs of criminals who already prey on similar groups of people in the Soho area”.

Mr Bensusan says a proposed closing time of 11.30pm would be “impossible”, and would not allow for musicians to play two sets per night.

He said he was also “a little confused” as to why the Blue Note was denied a 1am licence while others in the area had a later licence.

For comparison, Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club just down the road in Soho has a licence up to 3am.

Mr Bensusan has now filed an appeal.

A change.org petition set up by a jazz fan in support of the club has so far attracted over 2,500 signatures.

Plans to nurture emerging talent

The Blue Note site in London had proposed a 250-capacity main showroom “featuring legendary artists”, plus a smaller 100-capacity room to showcase emerging artists.

Mr Bensusan told Sky News: “There are so many great UK artists that we want to help build. I think we can do that given the platform that we have, and our ability to tour some of the artists to markets where we are around the world.”

Many UK artists who have played in the Blue Note clubs over the years, including Ezra Collective, Jamie Cullum and Nubya Garcia, have since found international success. Mr Bensusan says he wants “to help that continue to grow”.

He goes on: “Our goal is to focus on the best artists from around the world and give them the platform to play long runs. They’re not just coming to the city for a concert and then leaving. Typically, our runs go between four and six nights a week, for two shows per night.”

The original Blue Note Jazz Cafe opened in 1981 in New York City, and now has nine sister venues around the world including in Tokyo, Shanghai and Milan. A new venue in LA will open this summer.

The bigger nightlife picture

A 2024 report from the Night Time Industries Association showed the UK night-time cultural economy was worth £33.3bn, down from £37.2bn in 2019.

The association says that over the past four years, the UK has lost 37% of its clubs, which works out at a rate of around 10 clubs per month.

And last year, City Hall was told by industry representatives that night venues were being pushed to the brink of closure due to issues including strict licensing laws.

In response, London mayor Sadiq Khan has set up a dedicated “nightlife taskforce”, made up of 11 independent industry professionals, to address issues facing the industry.

They will be advised by bodies including the Met Police and Transport For London.

In support of Blue Note’s renewed application, the Music Venue Trust said: “Having a new grassroots music venue in Westminster is extremely important both for a sense of community the venue brings to its local community and also the mental health benefits of being able to attend and enjoy grassroots music and arts.

“Through our engagement with West End Jazz Limited (Blue Note Jazz Club) we have viewed the proposals for the space which contain absolute commitments to grassroots live music programming.”

The next steps as to the future of the club should be known over the coming months.