Glastonbury draws Jeremy Corbyn’s ‘hateful’ conspiracy film

Glastonbury has abandoned plans to screen a “hateful” film about former Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn.

The organizers of the festival reiterated that they are “against all forms of discrimination” after learning that a film about the politician had been canceled based on a “conspiracy theory”.

Titled Oh, Jeremy Corbyn: The Big Lie, the film was produced by Platform Films and was originally scheduled to be shown at the festival’s Pilton Palais cinema on Sunday (July 25). However, the debate over whether or not the film should be broadcast arose after the Board of Deputies of British Jews (BDBJ) expressed “deep concern” about the content, describing it as a “Corbyn banned documentary”.

Now, the festival has confirmed that while it believed the film was reserved “in good faith”, it was deemed inappropriate and will no longer be screened at the festival.

“While we believe the Pilton Palais booked this film in good faith, hoping to stimulate political debate, it is clearly inappropriate for us to screen it at the festival,” the statement read (via ITV news ).

“Glastonbury is about unity, not division, and we oppose all forms of discrimination.”

The response follows comments from the president of the Jewish community organization Junta de Diputados, Marie van der Zyl, who said it would be “very sinister” to screen the film at the iconic festival.

“This film, we understand, is intended to suggest that organizations such as the Board of Deputies of British Jews, of which I am Chairman, in some way helped to ‘orchestrate’ the downfall of Jeremy Corbyn as leader The Labor Party,” she wrote. in a letter. Glastonbury was organized by Michael and Emily Eavis.

“Their festival is one of the most successful in the UK. It seems to provide a platform for a film which aims to indoctrinate people into believing a conspiracy theory which effectively targets Jewish organisations.”

After confirming that the film would not be shown, the BDBJ later shared its relief that the decision had been overturned. “We are pleased that, following a letter we sent today, Glastonbury has announced the cancellation of the screening of this film. Hateful conspiracy theories should have no place in our society,” the organization wrote on Twitter. .

It is not the first time the former Labor leader has hit the headlines for the Worthy Farm festival. As far back as 2017, the politician reportedly gathered one of the largest crowds in Glastonbury’s history by delivering a speech on the Pyramid Stage.

For 20 minutes, hundreds of thousands of spectators gathered to hear her words, in which she addressed issues such as sexism, racism, homophobia and poverty.

“Let’s stop criticizing refugees, people who are looking for a safe place in a cruel and dangerous world,” he said then. “They are human beings like us. They are looking for a safe place and they want to contribute to the future of all of us, so let’s support them when they need it… Let’s build a world where there are human rights, peace, justice. and democracy across the planet.”

“This great festival with all its stages and music provides that opportunity […] for so many young musicians, so that they can succeed and inspire us all. And I’m proud to be here for it. I am proud to be here to support the peace movement and the way that message is delivered. But I’m really proud to be here for the environmental reasons that go with it.”

The response was largely positive from festival-goers, who took to social media to share their thoughts on the speech. “Glastonbury crowd reaction to Jeremy Corbyn’s speech gives me hope for the future,” wrote one, while another agreed: “Listen to that crowd for #Corbyn. We’ll never have a leader like that again.”

The former Labor leader also spoke to the NME at the event, revealing the one politician he felt would connect with people at the festival.

“Obviously I’ve met a lot of political leaders over the years, and many of them were very emotional and very eloquent in what they had to say,” he began.

“I think Tony Benn was one of the great orators of all time, who always knew how to encapsulate a complex historical account in a very simple way of presenting it. [Hay que] take potentially complex issues, simplify them in an understandable way, but above all empower people. What Tony did was always empower people.”