Even cynical old me is a bit shocked by this.

Last year, BBC Panorama made an anti-Corbyn programme – Jeremy Corbyn Labour’s Earthquake – about the rise of Jeremy Corbyn’s popularity in what was called a hatchet job by Corbyn’s team.

But the programme was not actually made by the BBC. It was made by a private production company called Films of Record whose managing director and executive producer is a man called Neil Grant.

Another anti-Corbyn programme is aired this week on a different channel – Channel 4’s Dispatches. The programme – Battle for the Labour Party – is so anti-Corbyn, it prompted a written complaint to the producer about the programme’s “innaccuracies” and “slurs”.

But the programme was not made by Channel 4. It was also made by exactly the same private production company – Films of Record – whose managing director and executive producer is still someone called Neil Grant.

OK. So unknown to viewers, the same private production company is turning out supposedly impartial investigative anti-Corbyn documentaries for both the BBC and Channel 4.

But perhaps Films of Record – despite being a private company – really is run by professional investigative journalists and is completely impartial and unbiased?

Let’s see. Who is the managing director and executive producer, Neil Grant*?

Erm … just a former Brent East Labour Party chair who has had a 20-year political falling out with Ken Livingstone.

So no axe to grind there then.

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It’s annoying stories like this which have prompted the idea for a new investigative organisation – TORCHLIGHT UK – which will be shining a light into the dark corners of the UK establishment, revealing hidden connections between UK politicians, the media and big business. Keep an eye out in the next few weeks on how you can help. We will be naming names.

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