NIGEL FARAGE and Kemi Badenoch are insulting the public’s intelligence by conflating workplace harassment and abuse with pub banter, the TUC has said. 

The Reform UK and Conservative leaders have both claimed the measures under the Employment Rights Bill to protect workers from third-party harassment — such as abusive customers, patients and punters — will spell an end to pub banter.

Today the union federation published new polling that shows protecting workers from harassment is one of the most popular policies in the government Bill — second only to ending fire and rehire. 

Eight in 10 support the proposals to protect workers from harassment, according to a new nationally representative poll of 5,000 people.

Just 14 per cent 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. 

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

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

The polling comes as the Bill returns to parliament this week following a concerted push by the Conservatives and Reform to attack the policy.

The Bill says employers must take “reasonable steps,” for example to protect bartenders from harassment by customers.

Tory peers have said publicly they will be opposing the policy while Mr Farage has said that the clause could in effect ban discussion of sensitive subjects such as religion or transgender rights. 

Leading pollster 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.”

The Equality and Human Rights Commission has said that there must be guidance for employers not to over-interpret the legislation.