Andy Burnham praises bravery of Russell Brand’s victims as he condemns ‘horrifying’ actions

He was acquitted on two further charges, including a rape allegation dating back to the 1999 Labour Party conference.

Brand was told he faces a “significant custodial term” ahead of sentencing on Monday before being remanded into custody.

The Prime Minister broke his silence on the conviction on Friday, telling Times Radio it is “horrifying what Russell Brand has done”.

He said: “And I’d firstly like to praise the bravery of the women, the victims in the case, who’ve come forward and had the courage to speak out.

“But yes, the journalists too, who supported those who had been abused by Russell Brand and worse.

“So all of them deserve our praise for having that courage to stand forward.”

The Prime Minister has also faced questions over his previous association with Brand, 51, after an old social media post resurfaced.

In 2014, the comedian faced media backlash over his housing arrangements, with Brand threatening to sue The Sun and donate any compensation to victims of the Hillsborough disaster.

At the time, Mr Burnam, who has long supported Hisborough survivors, said it was “depressing to see media mission to discredit someone who stops playing their game”, before telling Brand to “keep going”.

When asked by the BBC about the 12-year-old post, the Prime Minister said: “All I can say is I had no idea of the full extent of what he was doing or what he went on to do.”

He added: “His (Brand’s) crimes are horrific; he’s rightly been held to account, justice for the victims and that is the right course that’s been taken here.

“It’s not always the case that people know everything about people in public life, but what is important is that where there is wrongdoing it is exposed.

“Credit to the victims, huge credit, the courage that it’s taken, but also the journalists who’ve exposed this.”

In the run-up to the 2015 General Election, Brand interviewed then-Labour leader Ed Miliband.

After the pair met, Brand said he would vote for the now-Foreign Secretary, declaring: “This bloke will listen to us”.

Mr Miliband subsequently expressed his regret at the interview.

A spokesman for the Foreign Secretary said on Friday: “These are horrific crimes that Russell Brand has been found guilty of and Ed’s profound sympathy is with the victims.

“As he said in 2023, ‘of course, knowing what I know now – and I was not aware of these allegations at the time about Russell Brand – I wouldn’t have done that interview and I regret doing it’.”

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