Russell Brand demands action against Rupert Murdoch’s media empire in Ed Miliband Trews interview
In the much-awaited interview, Russell Brand has asked how potential prime minister and Labour leader Ed Miliband will tackle issues of media ownership, in particular mogul Rupert Murdoch’s sizable holdings.
Following Miliband making headlines with a fleeting night-time visit to the popular activist’s home on Tuesday, the PM candidate tried to connect with Brand’s unique viewership, some of which will be the disaffected youth the former comedian purports to champion.
In the Trews interview, which is primed to amass a sizable volume of viewers due to its prominence in the media and Brand’s social media presence - 9.5m Twitter followers and over one million subscribers on YouTube - the pair clashed on a number of issues including the fundamental need for politics.
On how change has been implemented in the UK through democracy, Miliband said: “Politics and people made change happen, progress comes from people demanding change, politics responds, not all the way, and people continuing for that change to carry on,” adding “without politics, without government, the change doesn’t happen".
Brand returned: “The people have made their disillusionment and frustration clear, their loss and despair clear, you as a politician and the potential leader of the country what are you going to do take on those powerful forces that we feel is beyond politics?”
In response, Miliband said: “My whole argument in this campaign is who is the country run for, is it just run for the richest and most powerful or is it just run for working people, the biggest question most Western countries face. A more equal society is a more successful society and that is why we need system to change the way the country works.”
The Labour head promised to "reform banks" so that they work for businesses, ensure that “energy companies are successful but are not ripping people off” and to “confront tax avoiders” when he could get a word in edgeways.
The conversation took a pivot towards media ownership and specifically Rupert Murdoch’s empire which has been known to attack both Miliband and Brand.
Brand asked whether, if elected Miliband would legislate to break media “monopolies” - using Murdoch’s News UK as an example.
Miliband returned: “I’ve spoken out against Rupert Murdoch on phone hacking and intrusion, but these people are less powerful than they used to be, media ownership really matters, we are definitely going to look at the issues, we have to make it work proper.”
He added: “The British people have a lot more sense than some of these papers give them credit for, and you have got to be willing to stand up to these powerful forces, and I am.”
With the conclusion of the video, Brand did not deliver the Labour Party endorsement some commentators felt was coming but did complement Miliband’s boldness: “I think it says a lot about Ed Miliband that he understands the way the media works and how people feel that he was prepared to come and talk to us at the Trews.”
The closing statement was a shot a Prime Minister David Cameron who on Tuesday said he “did not have time to hang out” with Brand.