Veteran British film director Ken Loach has sparked a war of words with the organisers of an Italian film festival after he turned down an award over wage and staff cuts at the event’s backers.

Mr Loach, whose films are known for their social conscience, had been due to receive the Gran Premio Torino on Sunday but today revealed it would be “weak and hypocritical” to accept after learning the hiring practices at National Museum of Cinema in Turin.

Following his film Bread and Roses, which deals with workers’ rights, he said: “How can I not respond to the call for solidarity from workers sacked for standing up for their rights.”

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