Labour deputy leader Lucy Powell condemned the defence tactics used during Russell Brand's trial, specifically criticizing claims that the lack of screaming or attempting to leave implied innocence. Brand received a prison sentence of 10 and a half years on Monday after being convicted of raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others. Powell endorsed the trial judge's condemnation of the courtroom conduct, while expressing personal regret over Labour's political engagement with Brand during the 2015 general election campaign.
Key points
Labour deputy leader Lucy Powell warned that more work is needed to eliminate victim-blam…: Labour deputy leader Lucy Powell warned that more work is needed to eliminate victim-blaming tactics and rape myths from modern trials.
The trial judge affirmed that individuals always retain the legal right to withhold conse…: The trial judge affirmed that individuals always retain the legal right to withhold consent regardless of their attire, actions, or alcohol consumption.
Powell expressed deep regret over former Labour leader Ed Miliband's 2015 decision to int…: Powell expressed deep regret over former Labour leader Ed Miliband's 2015 decision to interview Brand prior to the revelation of his offences.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
Labour’s deputy leader, Lucy Powell, has criticised the “depressing” nature of the cross-examination of Russell Brand’s victims during his trial for rape and sexual assault, saying she believed the courts had “long gone past that sort of culture”.
Powell, now the education secretary, also said she regretted the meeting that the former party leader Ed Miliband had with Brand in 2015, when she was Labour’s campaign chief.
Brand was jailed for 10 and a half years on Monday for raping a woman and sexually assaulting three others, including at their workplaces.
Powell was asked on LBC radio about Brand’s defence in court, during which his barrister, Ian Winter KC, suggested Brand must be innocent because none of his victims had “resisted or screamed or even tried to leave”. Winter also said the anal rape of a 21-year-old woman by Brand was a “short and momentary failure” where “he did not respect her consent”.
Asked if that was reminiscent of the attitude of the 1950s, Powell said she had been “shocked” at some of what took place in the courtroom, while…
French authorities are pushing for European Union sanctions after a destructive cyberattack crippled cooling systems across hundreds of grocery stores nationwide. Attributed to an Iranian military hacking unit, the intrusion caused severe inventory losses and localized fires during an unprecedented assault on commercial infrastructure. Paris is now leveraging diplomatic and judicial channels to penalize the foreign military operatives involved.
The political confrontation highlights deepening friction between the ruling administration and the opposition over India's internal security strategy. Government officials are expanding the definition of extremism to target intellectual and political dissenters, while opposition leaders accuse the ruling party of politicizing the armed forces. This escalating rhetoric signals intensified clashes ahead over democratic institutions and ideological allegiance.
The main opposition party has intensified pressure on the central government over northern India's recurring post-Diwali environmental crisis, arguing that clean air must be treated as a fundamental constitutional right. Pointing to severe public health fallout and sluggish policy execution, leaders demanded accountability for substantial unspent environmental funds across administrative bodies. This political push coincides with judicial deadlines compelling regional states to formally present comprehensive pollu…