In this exclusive series for GBN members we speak with people across Britain who have been de-platformed, cancelled or censored for their views and their discussions on a wide range of topics.
In this second episode, Charlie Peters talks to Carl Borg-Neal - a bank worker who won an unfair dismissal case after he was sacked by his employer Lloyds bank for inadvertently blurting out the 'N-word' during an anti-racism training session.
Carl Borg-Neil, was a respected bank manager and a local employee of Lloyds for decades, he never imagined a question asked in good faith would lead to the end of his career.
Struggling with dyslexia, Carl sometimes trips over his words during a workplace discussion about handling sensitive language.
He repeated the full version of the N-word, often used by his black colleagues. The intention was clear he sought guidance, but the repercussions were devastating.
Carl was dismissed by Lloyds and accused of racism, despite his explanation and a record of professionalism. Now what followed was a harrowing legal battle, supported by the Free Speech Union that revealed a stark clash between intentions, perceptions and institutional responses.
But ultimately Carl prevailed and he won £800,000 and a significant payout following a victorious legal battle.
Having emerged from his battle, Carl Borg Neal says his journey is not over, he warns: "I'm hoping now because it's completely finished now everything is done and dusted that I can now try and move on with my life. Turn that corner.
"I won a personal battle but the war. The war's not won yet. The war against this kind of thing happening. And it's still happening out there.
"There's something wrong right now. There's, there's almost like an evil in society at the moment and unfortunately that evil needs to be addressed somehow. I'm still in the battle. I haven't finished yet."
Carl added that he was worried about the speed of the tide turning in Britain and that the fight to preserve freedoms in Britain weren't going quick enough, he said: "That that that's my biggest worry. We need to do two things. We need to either change the people who are in power, or change the mind of the people who are in power.
"Now, unfortunately, I don't believe we're going to change their minds. So unfortunately, the only way is to change the people in power. Well, that's not going to happen for another 4 or 5 years.
"There are amazing people out there. Lovely, lovely people but unfortunately they are the silent. But this majority seems to me at least that they're starting to talk, aren't they, to open their mouths."
Carl battled with Lloyds bank for three years - from that fateful day in July 2021 in an ordeal that only really ended in early 2024. He is still dealing with the mental and emotional fallout on his personal and working life.
He said: "I'm still in flight of flight mode now. Even now I wear various things just to see how I'm doing. I'm still on six tablets a day. The doctors have said it's probably going to take between a year and a half and two years for my body to reset because once you get used to a level of cortisone. You'll stay at that. So I'm constantly at fight and fight all the time.
"Even now when I'm walking through, I don't like coming to London because when I'm walking through the big crowds it starts to get to me. Some days I don't want to go out even now.
"I have started working a bit but I work for myself now. I decide when I work. So even now, all this time after the event 2021, it started in July 2021. We're now, what December 2024? And it's still affecting me physically, still affecting my health. I'm still on tablets. I still have sleepless nights."
The employment tribunal vindicated Carl in a 46-page judgment that raises serious questions about how major institutions such as Lloyds Bank tackle “very sensitive issues” that arise during diversity training.
In awarding him substantial damages, the tribunal accepted that “it has hurt the claimant a great deal that he has been branded as a racist”.
Lloyds Bank have been contacted for comment.
For Carl's full story watch above
Find Out More...
In this second episode, Charlie Peters talks to Carl Borg-Neal - a bank worker who won an unfair dismissal case after he was sacked by his employer Lloyds bank for inadvertently blurting out the 'N-word' during an anti-racism training session.
Carl Borg-Neil, was a respected bank manager and a local employee of Lloyds for decades, he never imagined a question asked in good faith would lead to the end of his career.
Struggling with dyslexia, Carl sometimes trips over his words during a workplace discussion about handling sensitive language.
He repeated the full version of the N-word, often used by his black colleagues. The intention was clear he sought guidance, but the repercussions were devastating.
Carl was dismissed by Lloyds and accused of racism, despite his explanation and a record of professionalism. Now what followed was a harrowing legal battle, supported by the Free Speech Union that revealed a stark clash between intentions, perceptions and institutional responses.
But ultimately Carl prevailed and he won £800,000 and a significant payout following a victorious legal battle.
Having emerged from his battle, Carl Borg Neal says his journey is not over, he warns: "I'm hoping now because it's completely finished now everything is done and dusted that I can now try and move on with my life. Turn that corner.
"I won a personal battle but the war. The war's not won yet. The war against this kind of thing happening. And it's still happening out there.
"There's something wrong right now. There's, there's almost like an evil in society at the moment and unfortunately that evil needs to be addressed somehow. I'm still in the battle. I haven't finished yet."
Carl added that he was worried about the speed of the tide turning in Britain and that the fight to preserve freedoms in Britain weren't going quick enough, he said: "That that that's my biggest worry. We need to do two things. We need to either change the people who are in power, or change the mind of the people who are in power.
"Now, unfortunately, I don't believe we're going to change their minds. So unfortunately, the only way is to change the people in power. Well, that's not going to happen for another 4 or 5 years.
"There are amazing people out there. Lovely, lovely people but unfortunately they are the silent. But this majority seems to me at least that they're starting to talk, aren't they, to open their mouths."
Carl battled with Lloyds bank for three years - from that fateful day in July 2021 in an ordeal that only really ended in early 2024. He is still dealing with the mental and emotional fallout on his personal and working life.
He said: "I'm still in flight of flight mode now. Even now I wear various things just to see how I'm doing. I'm still on six tablets a day. The doctors have said it's probably going to take between a year and a half and two years for my body to reset because once you get used to a level of cortisone. You'll stay at that. So I'm constantly at fight and fight all the time.
"Even now when I'm walking through, I don't like coming to London because when I'm walking through the big crowds it starts to get to me. Some days I don't want to go out even now.
"I have started working a bit but I work for myself now. I decide when I work. So even now, all this time after the event 2021, it started in July 2021. We're now, what December 2024? And it's still affecting me physically, still affecting my health. I'm still on tablets. I still have sleepless nights."
The employment tribunal vindicated Carl in a 46-page judgment that raises serious questions about how major institutions such as Lloyds Bank tackle “very sensitive issues” that arise during diversity training.
In awarding him substantial damages, the tribunal accepted that “it has hurt the claimant a great deal that he has been branded as a racist”.
Lloyds Bank have been contacted for comment.
For Carl's full story watch above
Find Out More...