Labour’s Bridget Phillipson claims racism and sexism have become ‘normal’ in Britain as she warns about ‘cesspit’ of social media
Bridget Phillipson, Labour's women and equalities minister, has said racism and sexism have become "normal" in Britain, warning that social media acts as a "cesspit" that pushes fringe views into the mainstream. Her comments matter because they come as the government grapples with rising concerns over online radicalisation, misogyny and extremism, and follow her demotion from education secretary after Andy Burnham replaced Keir Starmer as Prime Minister, though she retains her Cabinet seat as equalities minister.
Speaking on The Guardian's Politics Weekly podcast, Phillipson said she was "profoundly worried" about misogyny and believes Britain is at "ground zero" on attitudes towards violence against women and girls, while also fearing young men are being encouraged online to blame women for their problems. She accused Conservative shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy and Reform UK's Robert Jenrick of making racist remarks, citing Timothy's description of Iftar prayers in Trafalgar Square as an "act of domination" and Jenrick's comment about not seeing "another white face" in Birmingham. Timothy responded on X, calling her claims baseless and accusing her of "making the most of her demotion".
- Phillipson says racism and sexism have become "normal" in Britain.
- She blames social media for normalising extreme views.
- She accused Nick Timothy and Robert Jenrick of racist remarks.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Ministers who champion equalities policy can reasonably argue that naming racism and sexism as 'normalised' is a necessary first step to tackling them, not an exaggeration; if abusive or discriminatory attitudes go unchallenged online and in public life, they risk becoming accepted background noise, and a minister with equalities responsibilities has a duty to speak plainly about that. Advocates would also say that highlighting social media's role as a 'cesspit' reflects genuine, well-documented concerns about the volume and severity of racist and misogynistic abuse hosted on major platforms, and that raising this publicly can build support for stronger protections and accountability.
The case against
Critics, including those who value free expression and proportionate political rhetoric, could reasonably argue that describing racism and sexism as 'normal' in Britain risks overstating the scale of the problem and unfairly tarring a broadly tolerant society, potentially fuelling division rather than easing it. They might also contend that branding social media wholesale a 'cesspit' is an inflammatory generalisation that glosses over its benefits and could be used to justify heavier-handed content regulation or restrictions on speech that go further than the problem actually warrants.