Ken Loach’s ‘drivel’ speech ruined Baftas says Tory MP after I, Daniel Blake director attacks Government ‘brutality’
Tim Loughton complained that his ‘great night’ was spoiled by the veteran filmmaker tearing into the Tory policy on austerity
KEN Loach was accused of spewing “predictable drivel” by a Tory MP who said the director ruined a “great night” at the Baftas.
Tim Loughton said the veteran filmmaker was in “his own La La Land” after he accused the Government of treating the most vulnerable and poorest “with a callous brutality”.
The 80-year-old made the attack as he picked up the award for Best British Film for I, Daniel Blake, which is highly critical of the benefits system.
He told the star-studded awards ceremony: "The most vulnerable and poorest are treated by the Government with a callous brutality that is disgraceful, a brutality that extends to keeping out refugee children we promised to help and that's a disgrace too.”
And he added: "That brutality extends to keeping out refugee children we promised to help."
But Mr Loughton, the MP for East Worthing and Shoreham, tweeted: "Just had a great night at the BAFTAS apart from the usual predictable drivel from Ken Loach in his own La La Land."
He was immediately criticised for the post, including by Labour former Cabinet Minister Andy Burnham.
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“Tory in a bow-tie on a lavish freebie has his night ruined by being reminded how the other half live,” he replied.
And the comedian John Bishop also hit back, posting: “If there was ever an example of how out of touch you and your government are with ordinary people it's that tweet.”
But Mr Loughton, a former children’s minster, responded to the backlash this morning.
He tweeted: “So when Ken Loach uses a Bafta platform to lambast [the] Government for stuff that is nothing to do with his film it's fine.
“But when I dare to criticise what he said, certainly not his right to say it nor his film making skills, the left go bonkers and launch a whole load of alternative facts about my parentage.
“Says a lot about where the real threat to free speech lies in our country.”