The damage caused by deregulation has provided us with some of the most gripping TV this year. So to round off the year, we’ve compiled a list of our top films and documentaries on deregulation, corporate abuse and the heroes who bring the bad apples to justice.

The popularity of these shows reflect the growing public concern about the everyday impacts of deregulation. They resonate because they tap into widespread fears about unchecked power, greed, and the erosion of protections that keep us safe. Together they reflect a collective desire for stronger safeguards and a fairer system where everyone plays by the same rules.

 

So if you just can’t stomach watching Love Actually again this year, why not give one of these a try.

1. Painkiller

Painkiller tracks the attempts to bring Purdue Pharma to justice after their aggressive marketing of the opioid OxyContin led to the deaths of close to 250,000 Americans between 1999-2017. During this time the company’s owners – the Sackler family – became the 19th richest family in the world!

 

2. Thank you for smoking

Ever wondered how protections get watered down or scrapped all together? Thank you for smoking is a darkly satirical look at how the tobacco lobby has held its grip on consumers while undermining government attempts to regulate its sales.

 

3. Sorry We Missed You

Ken Loach takes a scathing look at the everyday reality for gig economy workers who endure precarious work and suffer from a lack of employee protections.

 

4. Grenfell

The final report of the Grenfell Inquiry was published earlier this year, drawing a clear link between the deregulatory agenda of the Coalition government and the blaze which cost 72 lives. Ben Anthony’s documentary brings together powerful survivor stories in this BBC documentary.

 

5. Dirty Money

And finally, this Netflix investigative series takes you round the globe exposing brazen acts of corporate greed and corruption. From crippling payday loans, to cars that deliberately cheat emissions tests, or HSBC’s link to the Mexican drug cartel – Dirty Money digs up the dirt on deregulated industries and how they harm people and the planet.

 

Unchecked UK’s media highlights of 2024

Below are our best moments where we pushed back against the dangerous and illogical deregulatory rhetoric.

  1. Grenfell: We wrote in LabourList, did a head to head with the Adam Smith Institute on BBC Radio 2, and appeared on LBC News and Talk TV. 
  2. Planning Reform: We coordinated a joint letter in The Times with a number of our supporters to push back on the government rhetoric that regulators are mere blockers. We called for a reset of the relationship, pointing to the fact that regulators will be key to the housing revolution in ensuring new houses are safe, decent and built to last. 
  3. Labour’s Investment Summit: Our coverage in LabourList and The Big Issue urged the government to go for a pro-growth, pro-control agenda which would embark on a programme of regulatory renewal, not crude deregulation. We also took the argument to Labour on BBC 5 Live and LBC News. 
  4. Unchecked UK’s Enforcement Gap conference: In June we held our first in-person conference alongside Violation Tracker, bringing together organisations from across civil society to talk about the perilous gap in enforcement capacity in the UK. The Byline Times were also there and wrote about our newly launched report on the crisis. 
  5. Ofwat Reforms: The news that Labour will reform Ofwat after years of sewage being systemically dumped in our rivers was certainly welcome news. We went on LBC News and wrote an accompanying Op Ed calling for Labour to go further and address other sectors where the erosion of environmental and public protections was leading to abuse.