Trumpism, rising populism and the impact from being labelled ‘woke’ has created an environment where the UK needs to refight the battle for people suffering poor mental health to be treated with fairness and dignity at work.
This is according to political strategist and mental health campaigner Alastair Campbell, who was participating in a panel debate at Bupa’s launch of its latest wellbeing index.
Impact of Trumpism
Campbell (pictured), who suffered a breakdown 40 years ago, told the audience he genuinely worries the UK is “going backwards” where mental health is concerned.
“I wouldn’t underestimate the impact of being called woke or the impact of Trump or rising populism across Europe,” Campbell said.
“It’s the idea that young people talk about ‘so called’ anxiety, ‘so called’ depression.
“People are writing in national newspapers that depression is a status symbol, anybody who writes that has never had depression I can tell you.”
Fear of erosion of rights
According to Campbell, people’s sense of having rights is currently being eroded as opposed to being enhanced.
“And that really, really worries me,” he continued. “So I think we’ve got to refight and rewin the battle to have this perception that people deserve to be treated with fairness and dignity at work.
“Then we’re depending on whether the employer is a good person and often they are, but you can’t take it for granted.”