Several prominent figures on the UK's Labour Party, including Andy Burnham and Ed Miliband, courted Russell Brand for support and publicity in the years leading up to his conviction for rape and sexual assault.

Brand, described by reports as a "seedy Messiah" and a "darling of the Left," was lauded for his anti-establishment image despite his openly misogynistic behavior detailed in his memoir and the "Sachsgate" scandal of 2008. In this incident, Brand left voicemails on BBC Radio 2 boasting about sleeping with the granddaughter of actor Andrew Sachs.

In 2014, Andy Burnham, then shadow health secretary, tweeted his support for Brand, praising him for using his celebrity status "to help others." That same year, Burnham defended Brand when The Sun newspaper accused the comedian of hypocrisy over his housing arrangements. The paper claimed Brand was renting a luxury London home through a company registered in the British Virgin Islands while criticizing tax avoidance.

Ed Miliband, then leader of the Labour Party, sought Brand's support ahead of the 2015 general election. Miliband was interviewed by Brand in his London penthouse, an event arranged by Miliband's then-chief of staff, Lucy Powell, who is now the Education Secretary. The interview occurred nine days before polling day.

At the time, Brand was known to have faced accusations of indecent exposure and had been sacked from the BBC for reading pornographic material live on air. He had also previously been condemned by then-Prime Minister Gordon Brown following the "Sachsgate" scandal.

Despite these known issues, The Guardian published articles questioning if Brand could "win it for Labour," and columnist Owen Jones wrote that "Russell Brand matters." Jones praised Miliband's "bravery" for being interviewed by the comedian, noting that Brand had "acknowledged his own problematic attitude towards women."

Following the interview, Brand endorsed Labour and urged people to vote for the party. Labour subsequently suffered its worst election result since 1987.

Alastair Campbell, former director of communications for Prime Minister Tony Blair, supported Miliband's decision to be interviewed by Brand at the time, stating that Brand's influence mattered more than that of certain newspapers.

Miliband himself later expressed regret over the interview, stating that if he had known then what he knows now, he "wouldn't have done that interview."

Other Labour figures, including Chris Bryant and Jess Phillips, also expressed support for Brand on social media prior to his conviction. Former Conservative ministers criticized Labour's engagement with Brand, citing a lack of judgment.

Brand has since been found guilty of rape and three sexual assaults.