Following problems with finance for a cinematic release, the project was moved to the BBC, and the decision was then made to expand from one film to four parts with characters' views changing over time.
[4][5] The first episode of Days of Hope caused considerable controversy in the British media owing to its critical depiction of the military in World War I,[6] and particularly over a scene where conscientious objectors were tied up to stakes outside trenches in view of enemy fire after refusing to obey orders.
[8] In an interview, Loach said that numerous letters were written to newspapers about small inaccuracies (e.g. the soldiers' marching formations) but relatively few challenging the main narrative of events.
[9] In contrast, the Marxist historian John Newsinger has argued that the final episode of Days of Hope was so concerned with historical accuracy about the General Strike that it had become "boring" and "a heroic failure".
Ken Loach said in an interview that the media were particularly offended by a line that compared Churchill to a vulture and Lenin to an eagle.