Jeremy Corbyn film banned by Glastonbury to be shown at Bristol anti-censorship festival

Oh, Jeremy Corbyn: The Big Lie, a documentary produced by Platform Films, achieved notoriety last month when the Glastonbury Festival pulled a planned screening at its Pilton Palais cinema following pressure from the Board of Deputies of British Jews (BDBJ).

Narrated by Alexei Sayle, the film “explores a dark and murky story of political deceit and outrageous antisemitic smears,” according to Platform Films.

“It also uncovers the critical role played by current Labour leader, Keir Starmer, and asks if the movement which backed Corbyn could rise again.”

The Glastonbury Festival was originally enthusiastic about its screening, which was advertised thusly: “Love Corbyn or hate him, it is probably a film worth spending 80 minutes watching on a Sunday afternoon at Glastonbury. It might even be a rare opportunity to watch it, as it has already been popularly branded as ‘the banned Corbyn documentary’.”

Ironically, after BDBJ branded Oh, Jeremy Corbyn: The Big Lie an antisemitic conspiracy theory film, Glastonbury joined those banning it. In a statement, the festival said: “It’s become clear that it is not appropriate for us to screen it at the festival. Glastonbury is about unity and not division and we stand against all forms of discrimination.”

Now, however, those who want to form their own opinion have an opportunity to do so at the new Uncensored festival, which takes place on a farm just outside Bristol. Organiser Crispin Flintoff, who founded the Stand Up For Labour comedy fundraising project but was subsequently expelled from the Party, said the festival will be the start of a “fightback for freedom of speech”.

He added: “This event is going to be a massive protest against the state of political debate in this country. We are going to highlight the way left wing views are being constantly censored and ignored by the mainstream media.   If you watch the telly, you’d believe  the only choice is between Sunak and Starmer – but that’s not true at all. There is an alternative and we are going to put it out there.”

Glastonbury loved Jeremy Corbyn back in 2017

The festival, which takes place on Saturday 29 July, will feature music, comedy and a string of speakers against censorship, headed by filmmaker Ken Loach, who was himself expelled from the Labour Party in August 2021. Its climax will be a showing of Oh, Jeremy Corbyn: The Big Lie on a giant inflatable screen.

Filmmaker Ken Loach

“Since Glastonbury gave into pressure to drop the film, screenings have been repeatedly cancelled with venues across the country subject to abuse and threats,” says producer Norman Thomas. “The same people who smeared Jeremy Corbyn as antisemitic have been smearing this film as antisemitic — which is an outright lie. I invite anyone who has any doubts about the film to come to this festival and see it.  Why should people try to stop people seeing this film? What are they afraid of?”

Go here for tickets and further information.

All images: Platform Films