Simon Columb with five films to watch now Jeremy Corbyn leads Labour…
On Saturday, the successful campaign of Islington North MP, Jeremy Corbyn, marked one of the greatest political upsets for decades. While the Labour party elected an extreme left-winger to lead their ‘broad church’, the national newspapers are divided as they either assume the nail is in the Labour coffin (“Leader Nightmare: In the Corbin” says The Sun, “Red and Buried” in The Mail on Sunday, etc) or they exclaim the victory as an inspirational, positive moment in history (“Things can and will change” in Sunday Mirror and “Jeremy Storms to victory” in Morning Star).
Jeremy Corbyn may look like a cross between Gandalf and Obi-wan, but his policies and principles are much more than fantasy. After a hard day in Labour HQ, what five films might Jezza pop the corn for?
Pride
Jeremy Corbyn is an enormous champion for trade unions. His campaign support from UNITE and UNISON show how important he believes communities working together, to demand fair pay and decent working conditions, is crucial to the future. Corbyn would’ve been well aware of the events depicted in Pride too, as his long-standing role as MP in Islington North began in 1983, a year before the British Miner’s strike. In fact, ‘Gay’s the Word’ is only a couple of miles from his constituency. The informative and engaging documentary, Still the Enemy Within, would double-bill with Pride smoothly, providing detailed information behind the strikes that took hold of the nation in 1984.
12 Angry Men
Aside from the 12 Angry MP’s who’ve shuffled to the back benches (Yes, it’s more than twelve, and they’re not all men, but we’ll move swiftly along…), Sidney Lumet’s 12 Angry Men should be moved to the front. Beginning with Henry Fonda’s “Juror #8” as the lone defender of the accused, he manages to win over each the remaining eleven jurors by the time credits roll. Corbyn is passionate about Legal Aid reform, stating in a speech how the “loss of legal aid is loss of right and loss of justice”. I’m sure the challenge of prejudices depicted in the film is the type of considered discussion he would expect of all jurors, lawyers and judges in the country.
Originally published September 15, 2015. Updated April 15, 2018.
