Ken Loach has claimed the BBC had a “shameless role” in the “destruction of Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership” of the Labour party.
The film director said the broadcaster played a “prime role” in Corbyn’s departure from the party in 2020, following Labour’s defeat in the 2019 general election.
Speaking to Equal Times, Loach claimed Corbyn’s “whole political project, that nearly became the government three years ago, has been wiped out of the public discourse”.
After agreeing Corbyn’s role had been “delegitimised”, Loach said: “They’ve rewritten history so that it doesn’t exist. It’s like the photograph of Trotsky that Stalin cut out. The man doesn’t exist in history. Jeremy Corbyn doesn’t exist in history now.”
The director also criticised the current leadership of the Labour party under Keir Starmer. “The manipulation of the rules and the straight aggression has been unbelievable,” Loach said. “It should be unbelievable: the manipulation of rules against the left, the imposition of candidates, expulsions and the fact that at least 200,000 people as far as we know – and probably more – have left the Labour party under [Keir] Starmer. It’s not even a news story!
“If ever we needed a clear example of political manipulation by the broadcasters, there it is.”
Last year, Loach was removed from the Labour party and said he was victim of a “witch-hunt”. In a post on Twitter, he wrote: “Labour HQ finally decided I’m not fit to be a member of their party, as I will not disown those already expelled.
“Well… I am proud to stand with the good friends and comrades victimised by the purge. There is indeed a witch-hunt… Starmer and his clique will never lead a party of the people. We are many, they are few. Solidarity.”
Loach is best known for directing 1969 film Kes, The Wind That Shakes The Barley, I, Daniel Blake, and most recently 2019’s Sorry We Missed You.
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