Labour’s deputy leader said Ed Miliband’s interview with Russell Brand took place in a “different era” before the disgraced comedian’s predatory sexual behaviour had been exposed.

Mr Miliband, then the Labour leader, appeared on Brand’s online show as part of an attempt to win over young voters in his ultimately doomed attempt to become prime minister ahead of the 2015 general election.

Lucy Powell, who was vice chairwoman of Labour’s election campaign in 2015, said Brand had a “powerful platform”, and insisted Brand had approached Labour first as she faced questions over what role she played in setting up the appearance.

The Education Secretary told : “It was a long time ago, obviously and had I or Ed Miliband or anybody at the time had any sense at all that this was someone who was a sexual predator, who was involved in these sorts of crimes.”

She added: “I think like anybody who would have paid to go to his show, would have watched him on TV, who was his employer at the time, who had interactions with him – anybody, including those of us who were involved in that at the time – would look back and really regret that, knowing today what we now know.”

By the time the interview took place, Brand had already lost his show for leaving a series of lewd messages on actor Andrew Sachs’ answerphone about a romantic liaison with his granddaughter, been fired from for reading pornography on air and detailed his womanising in his autobiography.

Asked about her role in setting up the interview, Ms Powell said: “Look, we were in very different times. We weren’t in the social media age at the time, so where you could maybe search things up and see allegations or things about somebody at the time.

“And, as I say, if there was any suggestion at all, we were dealing with someone who was a known sexual predator at the time then, of course, no one would have done that.

“But as I say, he was a wellknown public figure. Lots of people, from Hollywood to the BBC to many others, gave this person a very, very powerful platform.

“We didn’t know at the time and unfortunately, maybe had people come forward or felt able to… it was a different era.”

Brand, 51, was jailed for 10-and-a-half years on Monday for raping one of his fans and sexually assaulting three TV and radio workers during his rise to international fame.

Ms Powell said: “What I would say to women now, off the back of that, is do come forward when these things happen to you.

“You will be supported. You will be believed. You will be taken seriously.

“Because actually, had we had an environment and a culture, 15 years ago, 20 years ago, where women felt that, then he would have been stopped in his tracks sooner and we would have had less victims as a consequence.”

In 2023, Mr Miliband said he agreed to the interview to encourage people to vote, but knowing what he did now, he "wouldn't have done that interview, and I regret doing it".

When asked at Politico’s Energy and Climate UK event whether he regretted the interview following the publication of allegations against Brand, said: “Yes, of course. I think the allegations that have come to light are horrific and my solidarity is with the women who have come forward to tell their stories.

“I did lots of interviews during that campaign. Russell Brand was going round saying people shouldn’t vote.

“I went and did an interview on his programme because I wanted young people to get out and vote.

“But obviously knowing what I know now, obviously I regret doing it.”