Director Ken Loach provided the most political moment of the Baftas with an impassioned anti-government speech as he accepted the Outstanding British film award for I, Daniel Blake.
On accepting the award, Loach stated “hundreds of thousands of people – the vulnerable and the poorest people – are treated by this government with a callousness and brutality that is disgraceful”.
One MP in the audience took umbrage with the director’s political speech, calling Loach’s words “drivel” and accusing him of being “in his own La La Land”.
Just had a great night at the BAFTAS apart from the usual predictable drivel from Ken Loach in his own La La Land
— Tim Loughton (@timloughton) February 12, 2017
I, Daniel Blake follows the story of a carpet fitter made jobless by injury who meets a single mother who is also struggling in the welfare system.Tim Loughton’s tweet was met with fury by some on Twitter, who claimed he was displaying a lack of care for people struggling to make ends meet in modern Britain.
@timloughton if there was ever an example of how out of touch you and your government are with ordinary people it's that tweet.
— John Bishop (@JohnBishop100) February 12, 2017
@timloughton hahahahaha caring about people is stupid
— TechnicallyRon (@TechnicallyRon) February 12, 2017
@timloughton ignorant. I challenge U to take over my caring role for one day, or live on Carers Allowance for a month, man up or cower away?
— UK_Carers (@ukcarers) February 13, 2017
.@timloughton Here's a foodbank in your constituency. Maybe you should pop along one day & see how you're received? https://t.co/C4rIV86e3d
— Andy (@AndyDekka) February 12, 2017
@timloughton if you want the full poverty experience you'll have to stay overnight. I'll make you a bed up under the stairs #IDanielBlake
— DarkestAngel (@DarkestAngeL31) February 13, 2017
@timloughton yeah. Cos being caring and compassionate is so awful. Maybe try it sometime.
— Elizabeth Ammon (@legsidelizzy) February 12, 2017
…upset your nice black tie event scoffing free food did he… with a bit of reality about your Govt's disgraceful behaviour
— PercyToplis (@PercyToplis) February 12, 2017
@timloughton From a privileged man-who has just had a freebie-this is the tweet equivalent of burning a £20 note in the face of the homeless
— Mark Hayward (@ffsake) February 13, 2017
Apart from calling him out of touch, this person made a point about hypocrisy.
'Why does the film industry insist on getting involved in politics?' moans politician who is inexplicably at film awards ceremony. https://t.co/omEz6Cvuh5
— Sean Leahy (@thepunningman) February 13, 2017
After hundreds of negative replies to his original tweet, the MP for East Worthing & Shoreham hit back.
1/3 So when Ken Loach uses a BAFTA platform to lambast Govt for stuff that is nothing to do with his film it's fine but when I dare to
— Tim Loughton (@timloughton) February 13, 2017
2/3 criticise what he said, certainly not his right to say it nor his film making skills, the left go bonkers & launch a whole load of
— Tim Loughton (@timloughton) February 13, 2017
3/3 alternative facts about my parentage. Says a lot about where the real threat to free speech lies in our country
— Tim Loughton (@timloughton) February 13, 2017
Once again, it didn’t go down well.
Yes @timloughton that's how govt works. You're the public figure accountable to the ppl. Not @KenLoachSixteen . He's a citizen speaking up https://t.co/xzm9bOfdEI
— Patricia (@PatriciaNPino) February 13, 2017
@timloughton Nothing to do with your govt?! What planet are you on man? Policies applied by your party are directly the issues in film!
— Marty Fufkin (@MartyFufkin) February 13, 2017
@timloughton "usual predictable drivel from Ken Loach" – witty insight. "Usual predictable drivel from Tim Loughton" – ATTACK ON FREE SPEECH
— Tom Peck (@tompeck) February 13, 2017
.@timloughton You exercised your free speech in expressing your opinion; people are exercising THEIR free speech in responding. That's fair.
— Mitch Benn (@MitchBenn) February 13, 2017
When will this circle of bitterness end?
