Screens Aren’t Enough: Why Vikki Slade MP is Taking the Fight Against Junk Food Ads to the School Gates.

In a significant shift for public health, a UK-wide ban on junk food advertising officially came into force on Monday, January 5, 2026. The landmark legislation prohibits the advertisement of food and drinks high in fat, salt, and sugar (HFSS) on television before the 9:00 PM watershed and places a total ban on paid-for online advertising.  

​While health experts and campaigners have hailed the move as a victory in the fight against childhood obesity, Vikki Slade, the Liberal Democrat MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole, warns that the current rules leave a dangerous loophole: the physical world.

​"Children Don't Just Live on Screens"
​Vikki Slade MP has welcomed the new restrictions but argues that protecting children online and on TV is only half the battle. In a bid to strengthen the law, she recently tabled an amendment—developed in collaboration with Jamie Oliver’s team and the Obesity Health Alliance—to give local councils the power to restrict fast-food advertising on billboards, bus stops, and shopfronts near schools and youth clubs.  

​“Banning junk food adverts on TV and online is welcome, but children don’t just live on screens,” Slade said. “They walk past billboards, bus stops and shopfront adverts every day on their way to school. If we are serious about tackling childhood obesity, we need to deal with all of the many ways junk food is consistently pushed at young people.”  Vikki Slade MP 

​Liberal Democrat Policy: A Focus on Prevention
​The Liberal Democrats have long championed a "preventative" approach to healthcare. The party’s policy emphasizes tackling the root causes of health crises to alleviate pressure on the NHS. By empowering local authorities to regulate the "out-of-home" advertising environment, the Lib Dems aim to ensure that the "healthy choice is the easy choice" for families.

​The proposed amendment seeks to give local communities the autonomy to decide what is appropriate in their own neighborhoods, particularly in areas frequented by children.

Although the amendment was rejected, Vikki Slade MP, remains committed to the cause, currently working to bring the proposal back for further consideration.  

Why the Ban Matters
​The Government estimates that the new advertising restrictions will yield massive public health benefits, including:
​7.2 billion calories removed from children's diets annually.  
​20,000 fewer cases of childhood obesity across the UK.  
​£2 billion in long-term savings for the NHS.  

​As the government’s 10-year Health Plan pivots from "treating sickness" to "preventing it," health advocates and experts are calling for the logic of the digital ban to be applied to our physical streets. Vikki Slade MP, alongside Cancer Research UK and Diabetes UK, argues that the job isn't finished. They contend that strengthening these rules specifically by removing high-fat, salt, and sugar (HFSS) advertisements from the physical path children take to school, is the only way8 to fully protect the next generation from a lifetime of preventable illness.  

Join the Campaign: Take the Poll
​Do you think local councils should have more power to keep junk food ads away from our schools and youth clubs?

​Have Your Say here:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Liberal Democrats Demand Withdrawal of "Unworkable" EHRC Equalities Code.

Image
The Liberal Democrats have launched a major political challenge against the Government's newly updated equality guidelines, declaring them "not fit for purpose" and warning that the framework severely compromises the safety and dignity of both transgender individuals and cisgender women. ​Following the formal publication of the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s (EHRC) draft updated Code of Practice, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey MP and the party’s Women and Equalities Spokesperson, Marie Goldman MP, have escalated their opposition. On 30th May 2026, the two issued a joint letter directly to Bridget Phillipson MP, the Minister for Women and Equalities, urging an immediate halt to the guidance. ​" The Liberal Democrats will oppose this guidance."  Marie Goldman MP  ​A Crisis of Clarity for Businesses and Communities ​The newly laid statutory instrument was intended to serve as a comprehensive update to the 2011 handbook, incorpor...
Read more

A Tale of Two Cities: Portsmouth starts 845 homes, while Southampton starts 10.

Image
While these neighbouring cities share a coastline, their approaches to the housing crisis appear to be drifting miles apart. New data highlights a stark contrast in residential development between Liberal Democrat led Portsmouth and Labour run Southampton, with one city surging ahead while the other stalls  ​Portsmouth: A Hub of Growth ​Portsmouth has recently been ranked tenth in the UK for the fastest growth in newly built homes. According to research from Bluefield Realty Group, the city has seen a 55.56% increase in completed homes over the last five years. The momentum is not slowing down; in 2025 alone, work began on 845 new houses, showcasing a proactive approach to urban density and development, whilst ensuring affordability for local people.  ​This growth aligns with the Liberal Democrats' national policy to address the housing crisis by empowering local authorities to build. The party has committed to a national target of 380,000 new homes per year, including 150,000...
Read more

Conservative Chaos in Worcestershire: Badenoch Cracks Down as Broad Alliance Ousts Reform

Image
​In a move that highlights the growing fractures within the Conservative Party, CCHQ has suspended its local leader in Worcestershire after he joined a "rainbow coalition" designed to restore stability to a county mired in Reform UK-led dysfunction. ​The dramatic intervention by Conservative Chairman Kevin Hollinrake, acting under the direction of Kemi Badenoch’s leadership, came just hours after Cllr Adam Kent helped orchestrate a cross-party alliance to remove Reform UK from power. ​A United Front Against Reform Instability ​Worcestershire County Council has been governed by a minority Reform administration since last May, a period defined by what critics describe as "appalling instability." The chaos reached a breaking point last month when Reform ousted its own leader, Jo Monk, replacing her with former Conservative MP Alan Amos. ​Faced with the prospect of another year of Reform-led drama, an unprecedented alliance of Liberal Democrats, ...
Read more