GLASTONBURY festival organisers have been accused of imposing a “disgraceful” act of censorship after axing a screening of a film about former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn.

The festival was due to screen Oh, Jeremy Corbyn: The Big Lie at the Pilton Palais cinema on Sunday, but has pulled it at the 11th hour following pressure from the Board of Deputies of British Jews (BDBJ).

In a letter to Glastonbury organisers Michael and Emily Eavis, the board’s president Marie Van der Zyl expressed her “deep concern” and said it would be “profoundly sinister” to have the film shown at the festival.

She accused the film of promoting a “conspiracy theory effectively aimed at Jewish organisations” that they were responsible for orchestrating Mr Corbyn’s downfall as Labour leader.

The festival said although it believed the film had been booked “in good faith,” it had decided that it was not appropriate to screen.

Norman Thomas, the film’s producer, called the decision “disgraceful” and “rank censorship,” saying: “Outside pressure groups have declared war on our film. 

“They wrote to the festival’s sponsors, including Vodaphone, and whipped up huge storm of complaints about the film claiming, without any foundation whatsoever, that the film is anti-semitic.

“The claim that the film is anti-semitic is a total lie. The festival organisers even had a lawyer examine the film who pronounced it totally devoid of anti-semitism. 

“On top of that, most of the principal commentators in the film are actually Jewish, so, by banning this film, the festival is actually banning Jews.”
 
Narrated by comedian Alexei Sayle, the documentary claims Mr Corbyn was a victim of a concerted smear campaign, that Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer played a deceptive “spy cop” role in his shadow cabinet and is now waging a witch-hunt in the party.