Which Side Are You On? was commissioned for transmission as part of the South Bank Show (ITV, 1978-2009), but was not shown because of its “highly partial view on a controversial subject”, the miners’ strike of 1984. London Weekend Television, the commissioning company, felt that it was more of a political film than an arts film.
Loach’s brief was to make a programme that showed what the striking miners were writing and singing. He felt that this was what he delivered and was angered that the programme was banned on the basis that it overstepped official guidelines on political impartiality.Read More »