politics
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Responds to BBC Questions on Labour's Brand Links
Prime Minister Andy Burnham addresses BBC questions on Labour's past links with comedian Russell Brand.
Key points
- Burnham said Brand's crimes were horrific and that he had been rightly held to account.
- Brand was found guilty of one rape count and three sexual assault counts on Thursday.
- Brand was refused bail and will spend the weekend in custody before returning to court on Monday for sentencing.
Why it matters. The verdicts and Burnham's remarks may keep attention on Labour's past dealings with Brand while the comedian awaits sentencing.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham told the BBC on Friday he had been unaware of the full extent of Russell Brand's conduct when he posted a supportive message about him in 2014. Brand was convicted on Thursday of one rape and three sexual assault counts, and cleared of two other rape charges and an attempted indecent assault. Ed Miliband's spokesman said the former Labour leader regretted his 2015 interview with Brand and sympathised with the victims.
Latest updates
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Responds to BBC Questions on Labour's Brand Links
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said Russell Brand has rightly been held to account for his "horrific" crimes, according to the BBC. Burnham was responding to questions about Labour's past links with the comedian. Some within the Labour Party attempted to court Brand's support more than a decade ago, before police began investigating him. The prime minister said Labour politicians at the time had not been aware of the crimes. In 2014, Burnham posted a supportive message on social media when Brand was in the public eye. The issue has raised questions about the party's judgement and vetting of associates.
Sources
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