Reform and Tories “insulting public’s intelligence” by conflating workplace abuse with banter, says TUC

Nigel Farage and Kemi Badenoch have insulted the public’s intelligence by conflating harassment and abuse with pub banter, the TUC has said. 

In recent days, both Conservative and Reform parties characterised Government plans to protect workers from third-party harassment – from abusive customers, patients and punters – as “an end to pub banter.” 

The TUC said both group have mischaracterised the measures, stating that the policy is about decency and common sense, and will ensure employers take all reasonable steps to protect their staff from violence, harassment and abuse.  

The intervention comes as the TUC published new polling which shows protecting workers from harassment is one of the most popular policies in the Employment Rights Bill – second only to ending fire and rehire. 

Eight in 10 (79%) supported the Government’s plans to protect workers from harassment, according to a new nationally representative poll of 5,000 people.  

Just 14% of respondents said they did not support the policy. 

TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said: “Nobody should be abused while doing their job. But sadly too many pub staff, shop workers and NHS workers face this kind of behaviour. 

“The Employment Rights Bill will introduce new protections for workers from harassment and abuse.  

“This is about basic decency and common sense. It has nothing to do with ordinary pub banter. 

“Nigel Farage and Kemi Badenoch are insulting the public’s intelligence by conflating abuse and harassment with banter.  

“Protecting workers from harassment is one of the most popular policies in the government’s Employment Rights Bill – this just shows how out of touch Reform and the Tories are.” 

Peter McLeod, who conducted the poll for the TUC, said: “Protecting workers from harassment is the kind of common-sense improvement to working conditions that people like about the Employment Rights Bill.

“I’m not surprised to see it rank highly in the poll, because when we discussed it in focus groups, it just made sense.  

“I don’t think the opposition arguments about pub banter will go anywhere – I read out something similar in the focus groups and it fell totally flat.”