Starmer blasts Andrew Tate's ‘toxic masculinity’ luring young men as PM unveils £88m fund to tackle 'harmful online isolation'

Speaking on a visit to Milton Keynes on Wednesday, the Prime Minister said the toxic masculinity mindset is “very damaging”.

He hit out at Nigel Farage, who previously described misogynist influencer Andrew Tate as “an important voice” for young men.

Sir Keir argued the Reform UK leader was on the “wrong side” of families who don’t want their children being “drawn into this world”.

He told 5 News: “I don't share Nigel Farage's view that this is all alright… I don't think any parent really seriously thinks it's alright because misogyny is something that gets deep into the psyche, affects so many young people.

“I think it's very important as a Prime Minister, as a dad, that I call this out.

“And I just think Nigel Farage is completely wrong and think he's on the wrong side of where most families are because they don't want their boys being drawn into this world, which is not going to be good for them, not going to be good for their future relationships and won't be good for girls and young women either.”

Since becoming an MP, Mr Farage has said he is “not a fan” of Tate but called for “a nuanced debate about why Tate has got 10 million followers”.

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“I think it’s rather important that we do, and yet, when I try and raise these things, I’m shouted down as if I’m his right-hand man,” he said at a press conference in March.

The Prime Minister said the funding package announced on Wednesday would provide young people an alternative to engaging with “damaging” content on social media.

The expansion is part of wider efforts to stem a “worrying” trend of children becoming “detached from the real world”, Downing Street said.

It will see some £22.5 million over three years used to fund access in 400 schools across the country to extra-curricular activities such as sport, art and music, outdoor activities, debating or volunteering.

Groups like the Scouts and Guides will receive £7.5 million to help offer more places in local communities while £30.5 million will go to improving youth club infrastructure in areas with the highest levels of child poverty.

“Not enough has been invested in after schools, in my view, for a long time. That means that isn’t actually an alternative for many children,” Sir Keir said.

Elsewhere on the visit, former flautist Sir Keir highlighted the benefits to children of learning music, saying it could help young people develop the ability to work in a team, build confidence and learn inter-personal skills.

“Music is a big part of my life. I enjoy it hugely, but not enough children have the opportunity to play music, to listen to music and that’s why here in Milton Keynes, this is a school holiday activity, and they’re playing instruments, electrical keyboards, and for some of them, it’ll be the first time that they’ve ever done anything like that,” he said in an interview with Classic FM.

“That is really important, because as everybody who’s ever done music will know, you’ve got to work in a team, you have to play your notes, or your instrument at the right time, you’ll have eye contact. Those are skills that go way beyond music.

“I don’t know how many businesses say to me, Keir, we can do the technical skills they need for our business, but what we lack with young people is the eye contact, the confidence, the working in a team.”

Sir Keir said the expansion of youth services was part of wider efforts aimed at opening up opportunities to ensure “no child falls through the cracks” ahead of the publication of the Government’s national youth strategy this autumn.

Young people have been encouraged to contribute to development of the strategy in recent months through focus groups and surveys.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said local youth services were the “bedrock of thriving communities” and that “today’s announcement is just the beginning” ahead of its launch in the autumn.

She said the Government is “putting young people at the heart of our mission-led government, ensuring they have the support and opportunities they deserve so that no one is left behind”.