Burnham Says Russia Interfered in 2016 Brexit Vote — First UK PM to Admit It

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said it is “clear” that Russia interfered in the 2016 Brexit referendum, becoming the first sitting UK prime minister to publicly acknowledge Russian meddling in the vote. The statement, made in a podcast interview released on Sunday, marks a sharp break from the position of previous governments.

FAKTA

• PM Andy Burnham told The Rest Is Politics podcast that Russia interfered in the 2016 Brexit referendum.
• He is the first British prime minister to publicly confirm Russian interference in the vote.
• Burnham said he asked the question after arriving in Downing Street in July and received a “clear answer”.
• He warned voters in France and Germany about Moscow-backed efforts to influence their politics.
• Russia has previously denied meddling in the Brexit vote.

What Burnham said

In the interview, Burnham said he had sought answers on Kremlin involvement in the 2016 vote when he entered Downing Street over the summer. According to Reuters, he said he received confirmation that interference had taken place.

Burnham also warned voters in France and Germany that they needed to be better informed about efforts by hostile states to disrupt democratic politics, pointing to the rise of the far right across Europe.

A break with previous governments

The comments depart from the position taken by past Conservative governments. Former prime minister Boris Johnson, who campaigned to leave the EU, said in 2020 that there was no evidence of Russian interference in the referendum.

A 2020 report by parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee criticised the government and intelligence agencies for failing to properly investigate potential Russian interference in the vote. The committee said ministers had not sought a full assessment of Moscow’s activities, including Russian state-backed media and social media accounts, despite evidence of attempts to influence British politics.

What he did not say

Burnham did not disclose who had given him the assessment, what evidence it was based on, or whether any interference had affected the outcome of the referendum. The Russian embassy in London did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and Moscow has consistently denied meddling in the Brexit vote.

Burnham took over as Britain’s leader in July and said last month that Britain could consider rejoining the European Union in the future.

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