Burnham says Brand has rightly been held to account for horrific crimes
Andy BurnhamPrime Minister of the United Kingdom, speaking to the BBC
Asked by the BBC about a post supporting Brand that he wrote in 2014, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Brand's crimes were horrific and that he had rightly been held to account, and credited the victims and the journalists who exposed him.
“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. ... Credit to the victims, huge credit, the courage that it's taken, but also the journalists who've exposed this.”
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Russell Brand denied nonconsensual sex; jury convicts him of rape and sexual assault
Russell Brand said his relationships during the period under scrutiny were consensual. A jury later convicted him of rape and three sexual assaults, while acquitting him on three other counts. Prosecutors described abuse of power; Megyn Kelly disputed the credibility of the account underlying the rape conviction.
Source and context
Reporting
About this source
BBC News report on Prime Minister Andy Burnham's answer to a BBC question about his 2014 post supporting Brand, given the day after the verdict.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
In 2014, as shadow health secretary, Burnham posted on Twitter in support of Brand during a newspaper dispute over Brand's housing arrangements. The BBC asked him about that post the day after the verdict.
After the quotation
Burnham also said he had not known the full extent of Brand's conduct at the time. Brand is due to be sentenced on November 9.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The reference point is Brand's conduct toward the women in the case and his denial that any of his sexual encounters were nonconsensual. Burnham calls the crimes horrific and says Brand was rightly held to account, which condemns that conduct.
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More from this case
Read the full casePowell calls the cross-examination of Brand's victims depressing and backs the judge on consent
“I found reading some of that incredibly sort of depressing. I thought we'd long gone past that sort of culture and that phase of things. ... And the judge's remarks were also incredibly powerful in sentencing: that it doesn't matter what you wear, how you behaved, how drunk you are, you know, you have the right to give your consent or not give your consent. And if it's not given, then that is rape and that is a sexual offence, pure and simple.”Read statement
Bear Grylls says justice has been served after Brand's conviction
“Brand's faith seemed genuine to me at the time when I was a guest at his private baptism. ... It is right that justice has now been served. I can't imagine how hard this time has been for the victims, the heroes of the day.”Read statement
Miliband's spokesman calls Brand's crimes horrific
“These are horrific crimes that Russell Brand has been found guilty of and Ed's profound sympathy is with the victims.”Read statement
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The Dispute Index. "Burnham says Brand has rightly been held to account for horrific crimes". First published: 2026-11-08. Last updated: 2026-11-08. https://disputeindex.com/events/8425-asked-by-the-bbc-about-a-post-supporting