Pete Postlethwaite: Film speech hit home with deputy PM

FORMER deputy Prime Minister John Prescott revealed how a Pete Postlethwaite speech in the movie Brassed Off inspired a government drive to regenerate mining communities.

In the film, Postlethwaite plays band leader Danny, who has waited all his life to win the brass band trophy but turns it down as a protest about the 1,000 miners sacked from his pit.

Mr Prescott said: "The line that got me was: 'This government has systematically destroyed an entire industry - our industry. And not just our industry - our communities, our homes, our lives. All in the name of "progress". And for a few lousy bob.'

"For an actor I imagine the greatest acclaim must be for your performance to be so good as to make people think."