Russia interfered in 2016 Brexit referendum, Andy Burnham says

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said Russia interfered in the 2016 Brexit referendum, claiming he received confirmation after raising the issue at Downing Street.

Speaking on The Rest is Politics podcast, Burnham said he had asked whether Moscow attempted to influence the historic vote.

“I asked the question coming to Downing Street: well, was there interference in the 2016 referendum from Russia? I’ve had the clear answer that yes, there was.”

However, Burnham did not reveal who provided the information or what evidence supported the assessment.

He also did not say whether Russian interference affected the referendum result.

His comments contrast with previous Conservative governments, which maintained there was no evidence of successful Russian interference in the Brexit vote.

A 2020 parliamentary intelligence report criticised the government and intelligence agencies for failing to properly investigate possible Russian involvement.

The report highlighted concerns about Russian state-backed media and social media activity aimed at influencing British politics.

Burnham argued that Britain should be more transparent about foreign attempts to interfere in democratic elections.

He also warned that Russian information campaigns could influence political developments elsewhere in Europe.