Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has announced he would nationalise the Great British Bake Off during his election rally in Birmingham.
It was after a jokey banner waved by one of his supporters in Centenary Square saying ‘nationalise Bake Off’ caught the MP’s appreciative eye as he gave his speech.
He said he particularly liked the banner and added: “The fate of Bake Off was decided when we allowed it to contract out its programme making to someone else and the public lost ownership of Bake Off.
“Shall we get it back?” he added to loud cheers.
The was anger from TV audiences earlier this week when it was announced Britain’s most popular show will be moving from BBC to Channel 4 next year because national broadcaster was outbid. The show was developed and is owned by program maker Love Productions.
Hundreds of supporters had gathered in Centenary Square for the rally, many waving more traditional ‘Tories out’ banners and pro-Corbyn badges.
His speech included attacks on austerity policies, calls for better mental health services, a pledge to build more council houses and an appeal to his opponents in the Labour Party to ‘come together’ after the leadership contest - each part greeted with rapturous applause and cheers from his army of supporters.
There were also elements of mild farce as MP Diane Abbott mistakenly introduced Mr Corbyn 25 minutes too early and then had to calm everyone down. In addition, Birmingham councillor Yvonne Mosquito's brave if foolhardy attempt to get a chant going of “Jez we can” fell, in her own words, “a little flat”.
But that was all forgotten after his speech which appropriately finished with a UB40 song blasted out from his PA system - after half of the Birmingham pop reggae group had given him their support last week .
The Labour Party leadership ballot closes on Wednesday, September 21st with the result announced on September 24.
