Nick Clegg (on lifting cosmetic surgery filter ban): "We would – rightly – be accused of putting growth over responsibility"

"Sheryl – this has now gone back to Mark, I added you to the email thread. As discussed before, I think there are multiple reasons – of principle and of practice – why reversing our ban on surgical cosmetic features would be a very unwise thing to do. We would – rightly – be accused of putting growth over responsibility. This would be a good time for you to raise with Mark before he decides. Reputationally, it would be a v regressive step indeed – we will be heavily attacked both in the press and by interest groups concerned about the wellbeing of adolescents, especially teenage girls. We are not depriving people of freedom to express themselves in some draconian way because we do allow other cosmetic features (make-up, cartoon etc). This ban only applies to those changes linked to cosmetic surgery effects. The argument that we are somehow imposing our own cultural values on others holds no water – it's what we do all the time, from banning nudity in Scandinavia to defending political speech in Vietnam. We are perfectly within our rights to take a precautionary approach on something as complex and serious as young women's body image and the dangers of cosmetic surgery."