Labour MP Lauren Edwards has warned young people to be careful about what they post on social media, indicating that comments made without proper thought can be interpreted differently from how they were intended and may create problems years later.
Lauren Edwards, who is now leading efforts to revive legislation that would legalise assisted dying in England and Wales, used her own experience of controversial social media posts to highlight the risks of living too much of life online.
According to the Labour MP, people should think carefully before posting “whatever pops into your head,” arguing that social media activity should not be mistaken for meaningful political or community engagement.
She made the comments after once again apologising for a series of posts dating back more than a decade. Made between 2009 and 2011, when she was in her 20s, the posts have since been deleted and included remarks about Estonians, a halal restaurant and Parliamentary cleaners
Shortly after entering Parliament in 2024, Luren Edwards acknowledged that the remarks represented a “significant error of judgment” and issued an apology.
Speaking again about the controversy, the MP mentioned she “wholeheartedly” regretted the comments and pointed to changes in public attitudes towards language concerning disability.
“I would just say the same thing that I said at the time and more recently, that I wholeheartedly apologise. It was at a time when I think, unfortunately, disablist language was really common in our society, and I think it’s really good that we’ve moved on from that.”
Lauren Edwards
According to Edwards, her experience had also influenced the way she approaches advocacy, particularly on issues affecting disabled people.
She stated she now tries to be “an advocate now, in particular for disabled people, and as I said, listen to them and understand their perspectives.”
Lauren Edwards Takes Centre Stage Over Assisted-Dying Bill
Meanwhile, Lauren Edwards has emerged as the new face of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill after the proposed legislation ran out of parliamentary time during the previous Parliament.
The Bill, which seeks to establish a legal framework for assisted dying, has generated strong views among MPs, campaigners, medical professionals, faith groups and members of the public.
Edwards is expected to open the debate when the legislation returns to the Commons on September 11, placing her at the centre of one of the most contentious ethical and political debates currently before Parliament.
The responsibility comes with heightened public scrutiny, something Edwards acknowledged when discussing her decision to take over the legislation.
“Certainly, it’s a topic that comes with a lot of scrutiny, a lot of obligation and responsibility. And so, I certainly didn’t take the decision lightly to pick up the Bill.”
Lauren Edwards
The MP noted, however, that her personal discomfort over being the public face of the legislation was outweighed by the suffering of people who want assisted dying laws to be introduced.
She argues that those who had hoped the legislation would pass during the previous Parliament had been left frustrated when the process failed to conclude.
“But I think it’s a really important thing that we need to do as a country, and I certainly felt a responsibility to those people who really wanted this legislation to be brought in, who were very frustrated, quite rightly frustrated, by the process not being seen to conclusion in the last Parliament.”
Lauren Edwards
Yet alongside the assisted-dying debate, Edwards has also sought to use her experience with social media to caution younger generations about the long-term consequences of online expression.
“I guess it’s important to live life in the present, and saying things on social media – obviously, as I’ve experienced, if you don’t think it through properly – can be interpreted in a different way than you intended, and can really store up problems.”
Lauren Edwards
She added, “So I guess it would just be to be careful, but also to not mistake saying things or doing something on social media as being active, particularly politically.”
Edwards argued that meaningful change often comes through direct participation in communities rather than online commentary.
She indicated that many people, including those beyond younger generations, had become overly immersed in digital spaces and were “living a little bit too much (of) our lives online”.
The COVID-19 pandemic, she explained, demonstrated the importance of human interaction and community involvement.
“I think certainly the pandemic showed the value of human experience and getting out there and making a change in your community. And having an impact that way, I think, is much more positive than necessarily going online and sort of saying whatever pops into your head.”
Lauren Edwards
Her warning is informed by her own decision to distance herself from social media after becoming an MP.
Lauren Edwards has previously revealed that she disengaged from social media shortly after entering Parliament, while she also avoids reading material written about her.
She explained that she does not read coverage about herself because “if you believe the good stuff, then you believe the bad stuff too.”
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