Ed Balls reveals Ed Miliband ignored his warnings against meeting with 'weird' Russell Brand in his bid to become PM at 2015 general election

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Heffer, G. (2026, November 12). Ed Balls reveals Ed Miliband ignored his warnings against meeting with 'weird' Russell Brand in his bid to become PM at 2015 general election. Daily Mail. https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16288125/Ed-Balls-reveals-Ed-Miliband-ignored-warnings-against-meeting-weird-Russell-Brand-bid-PM-2015-general-election.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490

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Former Labour shadow chancellor Ed Balls revealed on his podcast that he warned Ed Miliband's team against a 2015 campaign meeting with comedian Russell Brand, describing the comedian as "weird" and "untrustworthy." The interview took place in Brand's flat during the final fortnight of the 2015 general election as Miliband attempted to win over younger voters, a move that later drew criticism following Brand's 10-and-a-half-year prison sentence for rape and sexual assault. The report highlights the political fallout of the "ridiculous" stunt, noting that Miliband has since expressed deep regret for the meeting while facing accusations from Tory leader Kemi Badenoch of "cosying up" to the disgraced entertainer.

Written by AI on 2026-11-14, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

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Story summary

On November 11, 2026, Kemi Badenoch, the UK's Foreign Secretary, criticized Ed Miliband, the Labour Party's Foreign Secretary, for having a controversial interview with Russell Brand in 2015 during Miliband's previous attempt to become prime minister. Badenoch accused Miliband of "cosying up" to Brand to win votes, particularly among younger voters, which she deemed inappropriate. This criticism came during Prime Minister's Questions when Badenoch was addressing Miliband's refusal to approve the Rosebank oilfield project in the North Sea, calling it "climate vandalism." Miliband, currently attending the Cop31 environment summit in Turkey, has faced renewed scrutiny after Brand's recent conviction for rape and sexual assault. Former Labour shadow chancellor Ed Balls later revealed that he had warned against the interview at the time, calling Brand's behavior "weird," but Miliband's team proceeded with the plan anyway. Balls' intervention highlights the internal Labour Party debate over controversial campaign strategies during the 2015 general election.

Written for “Ed Miliband's Russell Brand Meeting Controversy” on 2026-11-14, grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.

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This article reads unscored and hedges 0% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.

'The Foreign Secretary should be ashamed': Kemi hits out at Ed Miliband for 'cosying up' to Russell Brand as he sought to be PM Same event

Daily Mail

Hedges 0 of 17 claims Outlet record 70/100

Noel Fielding breaks silence on Russell Brand to admit ‘regret’ over ‘horrible jokes’ Different event

Evening Standard

Hedges 2 of 25 claims Outlet record 64/100

“The articles discuss different incidents: one about Ed Miliband's meeting with Russell Brand during the 2015 election campaign, and the other about Noel Fielding's regret over past appearances with Russell Brand.”

'It was a long time ago': Squirming Lucy Powell says she 'regrets' helping to set up Russell Brand interview with Ed Miliband in Labour's 2015 election campaign Different event

Daily Mail

Hedges 1 of 18 claims Outlet record 70/100

“While both articles discuss the same interview between Ed Miliband and Russell Brand during the 2015 Labour election campaign, they report on different aspects: Article A focuses on Lucy Powell's regret and lack of foresight, while Article B focuses on Ed Balls' warnings to Ed Miliband before the interview.”

Ed Miliband FINALLY says he 'deeply regrets' appearing on Russell Brand's web show Different event

Daily Mail

Hedges 2 of 41 claims Outlet record 70/100

“While both articles discuss Ed Miliband's decision to appear on Russell Brand's web show during the 2015 election, they describe different aspects of the event and its aftermath.”

DAILY MAIL COMMENT: No alarm bells about Russell Brand in 2015? You're taking us for fools, Ms Powell... Different event

Daily Mail

Hedges 2 of 23 claims Outlet record 70/100

“The articles discuss different aspects of the same general event (Ed Miliband's decision to meet Russell Brand), but describe separate incidents - one commenting on Lucy Powell's stance and the other revealing Ed Balls' warnings to Ed Miliband.”

Story

Ed Miliband's Russell Brand Meeting Controversy

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0 of 23 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")

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Who wrote this

Greg Heffer

83 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction

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'But you know, they decided to go ahead because they thought it would solve a political problem.' Mr Balls remembered how, as shadow chancellor, he ended up having to go on TV to defend Mr Miliband's interview with Brand.

2026-11-12 · assertive framing · Ed Balls reveals Ed Miliband ignored his warnings against meeting with 'weird' Russell Brand in his bid to become PM at 2015 general election

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Also by Greg Heffer

'Read the room... pipe down!' Top Tory Chris Philp clashes live on air with Reform's Zia Yusuf as they both turn up to protest Labour's approval of migrant camp near Oxfordshire village

2026-11-13 · Daily Mail

Britain targets Russia's $50bn Arctic oil project in new sanctions package as Burnham vows to 'turn the screws' on Putin's war funds

2026-11-12 · Daily Mail

David Cameron warns Andy Burnham not to seek to rejoin the EU and tells PM that Brexit 'has nothing to do with UK's economic woes'

2026-11-11 · Daily Mail

How the UK's welfare budget is bigger than Romania's GDP - and is forecast to be larger than Colombia's current national output by 2031

2026-11-11 · Daily Mail

Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.

All 83 articles by Greg Heffer →

Claims (23 extracted, 0 hedged)

Ed Balls has revealed how Ed Miliband ignored his warnings against meeting with 'weird' Russell Brand during the 2015 general election campaign. asserted

Miliband → reveal → campaign

The former Labour shadow chancellor said he questioned Mr Miliband's decision to sit down with the now-disgraced comedian as he tried to become prime minister. asserted

he → say → comedian

Mr Miliband, now the Foreign Secretary, recorded an interview in Brand's flat in the final fortnight of the 2015 general election campaign in his bid for Labour votes. asserted

Miliband → record → votes

The then-Labour leader appeared on Brand's online show The Trews as he tried to win over younger Britons in his ultimately doomed attempt to lead the country. asserted

he → appear → country

Mr Miliband has faced fresh criticism over his 'cosying up' to Brand in the wake of the 51-year-old's conviction for rape and sexual assault. asserted

his → face → rape

After Brand was this week jailed for 10-and-a-half years for his attacks against four women, Mr Miliband said he 'deeply regrets' the 2015 interview. asserted

he → jail → interview

And Mr Balls has now set out how he advised Mr Miliband's team against the 'ridiculous' campaign stunt when the two men were at the head of Labour. asserted

men → set → Labour

Ed Balls has revealed how Ed Miliband ignored his warnings against meeting with 'weird' Russell Brand during the 2015 general election campaign. asserted

Miliband → reveal → campaign

Mr Miliband, now the Foreign Secretary, recorded an interview in Brand's flat in the final fortnight of the 2015 general election campaign in his bid for Labour votes. asserted

Miliband → record → votes

Mr Balls, the former Labour shadow chancellor, said at the time he had questioned Mr Miliband's decision to sit down with the now-disgraced comedian Speaking on his Political Currency podcast, Mr Balls recounted a 2013 encounter with Brand during which he 'behaved really weirdly'. asserted

he → say → which

He also remembered how he was later branded a 'clicky-wristed, snidey, c-word' by Brand when the comedian appeared on a Channel 4 quiz show. asserted

comedian → remember → show

'Then I find out a few weeks later that this big meeting is being arranged with Ed Miliband and, at the time, the feedback from my office back to them was what are you doing with this guy?,' Mr Balls added. asserted

Balls → find → guy

'I mean, he's weird, and he's untrustworthy, and he's already been removed from the BBC for his behaviour. asserted

he → mean → behaviour

And do we really want this? asserted

we → want → this

he → know → Brand

'It's your job when you're shadow chancellor, you've got to support the leader,' he added. asserted

he → get → leader

'But at the same time, I thought it was ridiculous, and this was before we knew any of the detail of the actual allegations which have come out in this case.' asserted

which → think → case

During Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said Mr Miliband should be 'ashamed' of 'cosying up' to Brand in 2015. asserted

Miliband → say → 2015

The Foreign Secretary, speaking to Channel 4 after Mrs Badenoch's remarks in the House of Commons, expressed regret at his meeting with the shamed comic. asserted

Secretary → speak → comic

It was horrifying, and all of my sympathies are with the victims of Russell Brand,' Mr Miliband said. asserted

Miliband → say → Brand

'And of course, there are further allegations about him as well as the crimes he's been convicted of. asserted

he → be → him

'If I had known then what has come to light, I would, as I've said before, never have done that interview. asserted

I → know → interview

And as I've also said before, I deeply regret doing it.' asserted

I → say → it

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Ed Balls reveals Ed Miliband ignored his warnings against meeting with 'weird' Russell Brand in his bid to become PM at 2015 general election

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