UK government to discuss staggered age of consent after Brand case

The UK government is likely to look at changing age of consent laws following the Russell Brand and David Walliams scandals, Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden has said.

Government response

McFadden told Sky News that questions about age gaps are being looked at "in a new light" in the wake of revelations and allegations about the comedians. He said: "I think the whole country last week has been appalled by the abuse of power by powerful men. And a big age gap can be a factor in that."

Pressed by Sky News host David Olusoga, McFadden said: "Look, I think we probably will consider it (changing the age of consent law). But I can't give you a result of that at the moment."

Speaking to the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, McFadden said that "appalling" stories of "abuse of power by powerful men" have emerged this week. He added: "[I] can't tell you what the conclusion of that would be, but the last week has certainly put that up in lights."

The allegations

Brand was jailed for 10-and-a-half years after being convicted of one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault. He was acquitted of two counts of rape and one allegation of attempted indecent assault.

Mia Latter, who has waived her right to anonymity, alleges she was orally raped by Brand when she was 16. She told the Sunday Times: "He ended up forcing me against the headboard [of the bed], and I couldn't move, and he orally raped me – and I was choking and crying."

Latter said she was 16 when she met the comedian, then 30. She is campaigning for a staggered age of consent, which would make relationships between adults and teenagers aged 16 and 17 illegal. She said: "I think we all sort of agree that... adults shouldn't be allowed to have sexual relationships with children, with somebody under the age of 18. That really doesn't seem like a gigantic leap to take."

The Met Police said an investigation into Latter's allegation of rape remains ongoing. A Met Police spokesperson said: "Officers launched an investigation in January 2026 after receiving an allegation of rape. Detectives sought advice from the Crown Prosecution Service to determine how best to proceed, and officers were advised that further information was needed before a charging decision could be made. This investigation remains ongoing."

Other reactions

Former Britain's Got Talent judge David Walliams has been accused of preying on girls as young as 15 following an investigation by The Guardian and ITV. He denies wrongdoing. In a statement, Walliams said: "I am not a sexual predator… I have not broken the law."

The Metropolitan Police has launched an investigation into Walliams over reports of "alleged serious sexual offences".

Louise Haigh, the government's First Secretary of State, told the Sunday Times: "We need to listen to Mia and other victims like her who have been through these experiences, because it's really important that as lawmakers their experience is at the heart of what we consider. It clearly would be a massive step to change the age of consent, but it deserves proper consideration and scrutiny."

Labour MP Catherine Atkinson, who chairs the Commons Justice Committee, told Times Radio: "I think it's important that we do explore that properly we do have different regimes around the world that I think we can learn from and I think that really seeing what the consequences would be for putting in that staggered age of consent is something that should be seriously looked at."

Helen Whately, the shadow work and pension secretary, told Kuenssberg that it was worth debating a change to age of consent laws. She said: "let's have the debate".

Anna Edmundson, director of policy at children's charity the NSPCC, said: "We know 16–17-year-olds can be particularly vulnerable to grooming by some adults. In some areas of the law, this group of teenagers are protected. For example, it is illegal to possess an intimate image of a child under the age of 18, yet other laws are failing to prevent them from being sexually exploited."

Why it matters

Adults of any age are legally able to have sex with 16 and 17-year-olds under UK law. The government is now considering whether to introduce a staggered age of consent that would make relationships between adults and 16- and 17-year-olds illegal, following high-profile cases involving powerful men and younger women.

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Sources

• mirror.co.uk: UK age of consent law to be looked at as woman 'orally raped by Russell Brand aged 16' calls for change - The Mirror
• bbc.com: Age of consent: Pat McFadden says changes to law will be discussed after Brand allegations

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.