An extension of workers' rights, designed to further protect them from harassment on the job, has been criticised as an attack on free speech.The Employment Rights Bill, first tabled in October 2024, would make it an employer's responsibility to prevent harassment of their staff by customers, clients and members of the public, as well as fellow colleagues. Some argue the bill, which is not yet law, would effectively outlaw banter - particularly in settings like pubs - and pressure companies to more closely monitor conversations. Others welcome the plans, arguing that workplace harassment is rife and that banter is often used as an excuse for discriminatory and upsetting behaviour.We go through the proposed changes, look at examples where banter has been used as a defence in court, and explore the origins and evolution of the word itself.Presenter: Adam Fleming
Producers: Simon Tulett, Tom Gillett, Nik Sindle
Production coordinator: Janet Staples
Editor: Penny Murphy
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Teaching character in schools
Government ministers have been trying to promote grit among young people in England as part of proposals to improve young people's mental health and increase school attendance.
'Grit' is the latest in a lengthy line of interventions from education secretaries who've been keen to emphasise the values they think children should be learning in school. Dr Lydia Marshall, head of research at the education consultancy Oxford Measured, tells Adam about the long and winding history
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Grit and resilience
The government has launched a new initiative to help teachers address a crisis in mental health among young people and a sharp drop in school attendance since the pandemic. The Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson says she wants schools to teach children greater "grit and resilience" to handle "life's ups and downs".
It's the latest in a long line of interventions from education secretaries seeking to encourage the values they think children should be learning in school.Is this the promotion of an important life skill or the latest gimmick burdening teachers?Presenter: Adam Fleming
Producers: Josephine Casserly, Viv Jones, Jason Murugesu and Nik Sindle
Editor: Penny Murphy
Production Coordinator: Janet Staples
Studio Engineer: Hal Haines
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Yookay
In the last few weeks Adam has been noticing things popping up on his social media timeline tagged with the word “Yookay”, which is supposed to be a reference to how UK is pronounced in a multicultural London accent. The content is a combination of pictures of streets or public transport and sometimes videos. So what's going on? I spoke to Siddharth Venkataramakrishnan, analyst at the thinktank the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, who researches anti-migrant sentiment online.
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Island of strangers?
As the Prime Minister announced reforms to the UK's immigration system, he warned that without these changes we risk becoming an "island of strangers". This has drawn criticism comparing his remarks to historical examples of inflammatory language on immigration. Others say this comparison is unfair and his comments were part of a sensible conversation about immigration.Presenter: Adam Fleming
Producers: Bethan Ashmead Latham, Josephine Casserly, Viv Jones and Nik Sindle
Editor: Richard Vadon
Production Coordinator: Janet Staples
Studio Engineer: Hal Haines
Peace talks for the culture wars.
In an era of polarisation, propaganda and pile-ons, AntiSocial offers an alternative: understanding, facts, and respect. Each week, Adam Fleming takes on a topic that's generating conflict on social media, blogs, talk shows and phone-ins and helps you work out what the arguments are really about.
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