The Labour election of 1945 was a tremendous victory for democratic ownership of the economy.

If you have a society where a large section believe they are not part of the political discourse, that is a situation for trouble.

It's time to put back on the agenda the importance of public ownership and public good, the value of working together collaboratively, not in competition.

People talk about Thatcherism all the time. I felt it was important to record the memories of those almost written out of history who upheld the spirit of '45.

The thing is, it's much easier to be a rightwing populist than a leftwing one, because the left always have to explain why things are the way they are. The right can just blame the foreigners.

I think the Norweigan model of municipalities owning cinemas and being programmed by people who know about films is a good one.

The old Craven Cottage stadium at Fulham, before they built the river stand; that was a great place to watch football. When the football wasn't very good, people used to turn around and watch the boats on the river.

The Holocaust is as real a historical event as World War II itself and not to be challenged.

What strikes me - we're apparently at the mercy of an economic system that will never work and the big question is, how do we change it, not how do we put up with it.

If all political parties are committed to the role of the free market, the politicians act as, I don't know, as traffic policemen; they stand outside the ring and let the real decisions be slugged out by entrepreneurs. That doesn't seem to me a proper democracy.

The worst thing about being a freelance film director is that you're scrambling around Soho with a briefcase, looking for somewhere to make phone calls. That was my position for 10 years.

Every four or five films we've made a film that has gone on TV first. It's quite nice to tap into the TV audience, but it is nice to see it on the big screen too.

Surprise is something that's very difficult to act.

Those in power always try to distort reality, to suit their needs and keep things safe.

Preparation is really important for actors; they need to know who they are, where they're from, and the experiences up to the point that we make the film.

There's a heresy which is perpetuated by film school that to be a great director you have to write your own stuff.

I've been going to Labour party meeting for over 50 years.

Iain Duncan Smith and his regime, they wanted to make the poor suffer and then humiliated them by telling them that their poverty was their own fault and, to demonstrate that, if you're not up to mark then you're sanctioned and the money stops.

My mum was a peacemaker, and in personal things I tend to do that, because I can't deal with personal conflict. I find that horrible.

The BBC is very aware of its role in shaping people's consciousness… it's manipulative and deeply political.

You'll get unsociable people whatever the nationality, colour, race or creed. I guess the British abroad have probably got the worst record of anyone.

Film is one small voice in a great cacophony of noise from newspapers, from the television, from social media, so it can have a little dent, you know? It can help to create a climate of opinion.

We have what we call 'fake left' politicians, like Ed Miliband and those who went before him.

Churchill the right-winger has been elevated to a status where you can't criticise him. People from the time remember him as an imperialist, a hard-right politician, very instrumental in the oppression of Ireland and the attempt to defeat the general strike.