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: 12:50 EST, 12 November 2026 | Updated: 13:11 EST, 12 November 2026 Ed Balls has revealed how Ed Miliband ignored his warnings against meeting with 'weird' Russell Brand during the 2015 general election 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.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.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.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.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.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. Ed Balls has revealed how Ed Miliband ignored his warnings against meeting with 'weird' Russell Brand during the 2015 general election 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. 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 comedianSpeaking on his Political Currency podcast, Mr Balls recounted a 2013 encounter with Brand during which he 'behaved really weirdly'.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.'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.'I mean, he's weird, and he's untrustworthy, and he's already been removed from the BBC for his behaviour. And do we really want this?'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.'It's your job when you're shadow chancellor, you've got to support the leader,' he added.'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.'During Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said Mr Miliband should be 'ashamed' of 'cosying up' to Brand in 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.'What Russell Brand did was horrifying. It was horrifying, and all of my sympathies are with the victims of Russell Brand,' Mr Miliband said.'And of course, there are further allegations about him as well as the crimes he's been convicted of.'If I had known then what has come to light, I would, as I've said before, never have done that interview. And as I've also said before, I deeply regret doing it.'