Britain’s equalities minister Bridget Phillipson has sounded the alarm over what she describes as a deeply troubling shift in public life, warning that racism and sexism have become so commonplace that people barely flinch at them anymore.
Phillipson, speaking exclusively, said she is increasingly concerned about how normalised hateful attitudes have become across the country, and she is pointing the finger at two major culprits: social media and politicians who should know better.
‘It would not have been acceptable a few years ago,’ she said, referring to the kind of language and behaviour that now passes without much comment in public debate. She argued that some politicians have actively helped fuel this shift, lending a kind of legitimacy to views that once sat firmly on the fringes.
But it is young men she is most worried about right now. Phillipson described social media as a ‘cesspit’ that is pulling boys and young men toward violent misogyny, with algorithms serving up increasingly extreme content that warps how they see women. She said this is not just an online problem. The attitudes being formed in those digital spaces are spilling out into real life, and the consequences for women and girls are serious.
On that front, Phillipson also had sharp words for the police. She said forces across England are simply not taking violence against women and girls seriously enough. It is a criticism that campaigners have been making for years, but hearing it come directly from the minister responsible for equality carries extra weight. Women’s groups have long argued that crimes like domestic abuse, stalking, and sexual violence are routinely under-investigated or dismissed, leaving victims without justice and perpetrators free to offend again.
The minister’s comments come at a time when the conversation around misogyny and online radicalisation has never been louder. Figures like Andrew Tate have become household names among teenage boys, and teachers, parents, and youth workers have been raising concerns for some time about the influence of that kind of content. Phillipson’s intervention suggests the government is now taking those concerns seriously at the highest level.
The racism side of her warning is equally stark. England has seen repeated flare-ups of racially motivated disorder in recent years, and the debate around immigration has at times tipped into openly hostile territory. Phillipson suggested that the tone set by public figures matters enormously, and that when politicians use inflammatory language or play to prejudice for short-term gain, it has real consequences for the people on the receiving end of that hatred.
What makes her comments notable is the directness. Ministers often speak carefully around these issues, wary of the political backlash. Phillipson is not pulling punches. She is naming social media companies, calling out fellow politicians, and criticising the police, all in one go.
Whether that directness translates into concrete action is the question campaigners will be asking next. Fine words about normalised racism and sexism are one thing. What the government actually does to reverse those trends, whether through tougher online safety enforcement, better police training, or holding politicians to higher standards of public discourse, is what will ultimately matter.
For now, the equalities minister has at least put the issue squarely on the table.
Bit of an overstatement tbh. Yeah there are proper dickheads out there but calling it “normalised” feels like a stretch. Most people I know are decent and would call that stuff out. Feels like fearmongering to justify more bureaucracy and spending.