Andy Burnham refuses to rule out staggered age of consent laws in wake of Russell Brand scandal as PM says 'nothing is off the table'

Andy Burnham has refused to rule out changes to laws around the age of consent, saying "nothing is off the table" after the Russell Brand scandal.

The Prime Minister said Labour would give "very detailed consideration" to all the issues involved after the disgraced comedian's conviction.

Brand, 51, was jailed after being found guilty of raping one woman and sexually assaulting three others during his career.

Now Mr Burnham has played down speculation that Labour could adjust the age of consent laws.

The Prime Minister was asked if Whitehall was considering staggering the age of consent, "so that people over 18 cannot have sex with 16-and 17-year-olds".

In response, the Prime Minister said: "I'm not gonna be able to give you a direct answer on the specific proposal there.

"I think what I would say is, the whole set of very important issues needs to be unpacked as a result of what we've learned and the criminal trial that took place and the justice that's been given to those brave victims.

"I think we need to fully understand everything here...the Culture Secretary has started, actually, with some of the moves that she's begun to take.

"So, I'm not gonna jump to an answer on what you're saying, but I'm not gonna say at this stage that things are off the table. Obviously, we want to have a very, very detailed consideration of all the issues involved."

The Prime Minister previously said the media industry needs to "look at itself" and "step forward" to protect women and girls following Russell Brand’s rape conviction and allegations against comedian David Walliams.

This follows Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy telling MPs that ministers "would not hesitate" to take action if protections in place are inadequate.

Speaking in the Commons on Thursday, she criticised the BBC's inaction after reviews into the behaviour of other high-profile broadcasters over the last decade.

She also said she would discuss the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) during a meeting with media and entertainment executives next week.

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Mr Walliams was named in an investigation by the Guardian and ITV News the day after Brand was sentenced.

The best-selling author and former Britain’s Got Talent judge has been accused of sexual misconduct and abusing his power to groom teenagers as young as 15, but denies any wrongdoing.

Asked how far the Government is willing to go to force the TV and entertainment industries to clean up their act, Mr Burnham replied: "The Culture Secretary has been very clear about that."

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, he added: "The media industry will need to look at itself and ensure whether it is taking all of the steps needed to protect the safety of women and girls who work within the industry, or who are within the orbit of the industry, because very serious issues indeed fall out of these cases."

Media Minister Ian Murray said a "cultural problem" needs to be "stamped out" after allegations of inappropriate behaviour against Mr Walliams.

Mr Murray said non-disclosure agreements are a "major part of the problem" and referenced comedian Brand, who was jailed for 10-and-a-half years at Southwark Crown Court on Monday.

He said: "If you’re up against a major star such as Russell Brand, it’s very frightening to be able to report that.”

Meanwhile, equalities minister Bridget Phillipson paid tribute to the "bravery" of victims who have shared their experiences in recent days.