UK PM puts Russian interference in 2016 Brexit vote on record
Why it matters: Burnham’s claim breaks with past UK government positions and comes as France and Germany face similar meddling fears.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he was told there was Russian interference in the 2016 Brexit referendum, making him the first UK leader to publicly put such a finding on the record. In excerpts from “The Rest Is Politics” podcast released on Oct. 11, Burnham said he asked after taking office in July whether Moscow had interfered and received “the clear answer” that it had. He did not detail the evidence. Burnham linked the issue to current concerns in Europe, warning that voters in Germany and France face similar disinformation and influence efforts. A 2020 report by Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee said the UK government had failed to establish whether Russia meddled in the Brexit vote.