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

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/ed-balls-reveals-ed-miliband-ignored-his-warnings-against-meeting-with-weird-russell-brand-in-his-bid-to-become-pm-at-2015-general-election/
- Published: 2026-11-12T17:52:46+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-12T18:04:00+00:00
- Original publisher: Daily Mail (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: 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
- Topics: Elections, Government, Offbeat, Politics, Weird & Viral, World

## Key points

- Balls says he advised Miliband against meeting Brand in 2015.
- Miliband went ahead to try to attract younger voters.
- The Foreign Secretary now says he deeply regrets the interview.

## Summary

Ed Balls says he warned Ed Miliband’s team against interviewing Russell Brand during Labour’s 2015 general election campaign, describing Brand as “weird” and untrustworthy. Miliband went ahead with the interview at Brand’s flat, hoping to reach younger voters, and Balls later defended the decision on television; he says he considered it a ridiculous political stunt.

The interview has drawn renewed criticism following Brand’s conviction for rape and sexual assault and a reported 10-and-a-half-year prison sentence for attacks against four women. Miliband, now Foreign Secretary, has said he deeply regrets the interview and would not have taken part had he known what later came to light. Balls stressed that his concerns at the time were about Brand’s behaviour, before the details of the allegations emerged.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.