Labour's Bridget Phillipson claims racism and sexism have become 'normal' in Britain as she warns about 'cesspit' of social media

By GREG HEFFER, POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT Published: 11:20, 21 August 2026 | Updated: 11:20, 21 August 2026 Labour's Bridget Phillipson has claimed racism and sexism have become 'normal' in Britain as she warned about the 'cesspit' of social media sites. The women and equalities minister said it was part of her job to 'challenge' the 'normalising' of racism in the UK, as well as to 'celebrate' Britain as a 'tolerant' nation. Ms Phillipson expressed concern that the country is at 'ground zero' in terms of attitudes around violence against women and girls. She also said she is worried about young men being encouraged by social media to think the problems they face 'are somehow down to women'. Ms Phillipson was education secretary up until last month but was sacked from that job by Andy Burnham when he replaced Keir Starmer as Prime Minister. However, she was allowed to remain a full Cabinet member in her role as women and equalities minister. Speaking to The Guardian's Politics Weekly podcast, Ms Phillipson said she was 'profoundly worried about what we're seeing in terms of misogyny across society'. 'I worry about our daughters. I worry about the kind of world that they're growing up into,' she said. Labour's Bridget Phillipson has claimed racism and sexism have become 'normal' in Britain as she warned about the 'cesspit' of social media sites Ms Phillipson added that she also worries 'about our sons and what they're being exposed to, especially online and the extent to which we have this whole industry that's been built up on exploiting grievance'. 'And encouraging young men to think that the problems they're experiencing are, or the ills that we see in the world are somehow down to women,' she continued. 'And I think, in terms of attitudes again, I worry that we are at kind of a ground zero really in terms of attitudes around violence against women and girls. 'Things that not very long ago felt totally unacceptable are becoming normal. And I think we're seeing that in terms of attitudes towards women, and I think we see that in terms of attitudes around racism. 'And what unites them is a desire to take our country backwards.' Ms Phillipson said there was a 'normalisation' of attitudes through online sites with social media allowing people to find others who 'not just share their views but will also encourage them to dive further into what becomes really a cesspit'. She added this allows people 'to think that what was once a view that people wouldn't have spoken out loud in polite conversation, because they see it and talk about it online, it becomes normal and then that does seep into what happens in the real world'. Ms Phillipson also accused Tory shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy and Reform UK's Treasury spokesperson Robert Jenrick of making racist remarks in recent years. Mr Timothy faced a backlash earlier this year after describing prayer at a public Iftar event in Trafalgar Square as an 'act of domination and division' in a post on X. Meanwhile, Mr Jenrick complained that he 'didn't see another white face' during a visit to an area of Birmingham in October last year. Ms Phillipson said: 'We've had pretty despicable things that the likes of Robert Jenrick have said in the past on his visit to Birmingham. 'We had Nick Timothy, who said some appalling things about Muslim prayer. Apparently I'm calling him names when I say that's racist. 'I think it is fundamentally racist because I don't think he would say that about any other group.'