Starmer 'worried' about toxic masculinity after Adolescence drama

The prime minister has said he is "worried" about toxic masculine behaviour on social media influencing young men, and has spoken with Sir Gareth Southgate about the issue.

Sir Keir Starmer told BBC 5Live that the UK "may have a problem with boys and young men that we need to address", and plans to discuss this further with the former England men's football manager.

The PM's comments come after Sir Gareth's recent BBC lecture, in which he said "toxic influencers... trick young men", and the fresh attention that popular new Netflix drama Adolescence has brought the issue.

The series shines a light on the corrosive impact of social media and misogynist influencers on some teenage boys.

The four-part series - which Sir Keir previously said he had been watching with his teenage children - follows a family whose lives are blown apart when their teenage son is arrested for killing a female classmate.

It also explores the hidden radicalisation of young boys through incel culture and the "manosphere" - a collection of websites that promote misogyny and hyper-masculinity.

Sir Keir said the government should not "shrug our shoulders" about confronting the attitudes of some young boys and men.

"There's a reason why the debate has suddenly sparked into life - a lot of people who work with young people at school or elsewhere, recognise that we may have a problem with boys and young men that we need to address," he said.

He added: "I do think it's important we pick this challenge up and see it for what it is."

But the prime minister said the government was not planning to appoint a "minister for men" - a similar role to the minister for women and equalities.

"I don't think that's the answer," he said.

The rising problem of misogyny and male violence was the subject of Sir Gareth's wide-ranging talk for the BBC's annual Richard Dimbleby Lecture.

He said he feared young men were spending too much time gaming, gambling and watching pornography - and that they needed better role models beyond online influencers.

Online, he said, they were finding a new kind of role model - one that too often did not have their best interests at heart.

"These are callous, manipulative and toxic influencers, whose sole drive is for their own gain," he said.

"They willingly trick young men into believing that success is measured by money or dominance, that strength means never showing emotion, and that the world, including women, is against them."

He added that too many young men are isolated and struggle to express their emotions.

Sir Keir said: "I think it is a time for listening carefully to what Gareth Southgate was saying and responding to it and certainly that's what I want to do."

The prime minister added that footballers and athletes could be positive role models for young men, but that he thought they were more likely to identify with "somebody who's in their school", like a teacher or a sports coach.

The creators of Adolescence said they wanted to "look in the eye of male rage" with the series.

The central character had been "indoctrinated by voices" like Andrew Tate's and "voices a lot more dangerous than Andrew Tate's", one of its writers, Jack Thorne told Radio 4's Front Row.

Thorne and co-writer and star Stephen Graham have accepted an invitation to a parliamentary meeting by Labour MP Josh McAlister to discuss online safety with MPs.

The critically acclaimed series was viewed 6.9 million times in its first week in the UK, beating last year's biggest drama Fool Me Once by 200,000.

It also comfortably beat Netflix sleeper hit Baby Reindeer, which opened with 2.2 million after seven days, as well as The Gentlemen, which entertained 3.5 million in the same period.