Labour has no plans to ban smartphones in schools despite similar restrictions being rolled out worldwide and pleas from parents for tougher rules, The Telegraph understands.

The last Tory government issued guidance backing headteachers in restricting access to phones in schools but also stopped short of binding rules.

“The Government can legislate to ban mobile phones [in schools] and it is an option,” a spokesman for the Department for Education said.

According to Ipsos polling, almost two thirds of people in Britain (60 per cent) think smartphones should be banned in schools, above the global average of 53 per cent.

Labour’s election manifesto said: “Children and young people face significant harm online, with inappropriate content too easily available at their fingertips on a smartphone.”

But The Telegraph understands that, as things stand Labour will leave matters to schools.

Starmer rules out ban

Sir Keir Starmer has ruled out a ban on the sale of smartphones to the under 16s in the UK, despite fears over cyberbullying and concentration levels.

Sarah, a mother from south-east England, told The Telegraph her 16-year-old daughter tried to take her own life several times after being cyber-bullied on platforms such as WhatsApp and Snapchat.

“My daughter is still alive, I’m very lucky,” she said.

Sarah, whose surname we are not publishing, said her daughter had found tips on self harm online.

“If I could do one thing, I would never give my daughter a smartphone,” said Sarah, who gave the device to her daughter when she was in Year Six.

She called on the Prime Minister to ban smartphones for anyone under the age of 14, stating a ban in schools did not go far enough.

“The damage is occurring outside of schools, there are group chats that continue outside of the school gates and the schools cannot do anything or are unaware of the networks that have been formed,” she said.

“It’s not just me, there’s an entire cohort tearing their hair out over struggling with children. Entire summers spent on smartphones or kids who are terrified to go out because of bullying,” she added.