The Truman Show.

[Inspector Knacker]

The similarities between this film and how the Labour Party treated Hartlepool are quite remarkable save for the fact in the film it was based on the treatment of one character, whereas in Hartlepool it was a good section of the electorate. The vision of a perfect town under Labour became a long running saga, accepted unchallenged by a tame Labour electorate. If things went wrong, you used the 'T' word and they hid behind the sofa till they went away.
Finally, just like the scene in the film, the false horizon was ripped down, their world fell apart.