It is ‘clear’ Russia interfered in Brexit referendum, says UK PM Burnham
Britain’s Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said the UK is “clear” there was Russian interference in the Brexit referendum. He said that when he entered No 10 Downing Street a few months ago, he had asked whether Moscow interfered in the 2016 vote on whether to leave the EU and was given “the clear answer that yes there was”. The prime minister said he believes it is important to put this “clearly…
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has stated that there is "clear" evidence of Russian interference in the Brexit referendum. Upon assuming office, Burnham inquired about potential Russian interference during the 2016 vote on EU membership and was given a definitive answer: yes, there had been interference. The Prime Minister believes it is crucial to record this information clearly, particularly to assist voters in Germany and France in understanding that some political activities are driven by adversaries, specifically Russia.
The Intelligence and Security Committee's 2020 report found that the UK government inadequately evaluated the potential impact of Russian state media and "troll" accounts on the EU referendum. During a recent podcast interview, Burnham discussed his conversation with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who is grappling with the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
Burnham emphasized the need to support Merz in combating the AfD's influence, noting that the AfD appears to be linked with Russia and funded by them. Burnham also highlighted ongoing misinformation and disinformation from Russia targeting German politics. In a speech to the UN General Assembly, Burnham previously pointed to evidence suggesting Moscow attempted to interfere in the 2019 general election.
He reiterated his commitment to informing voters about the extent of foreign attempts to disrupt political processes. Burnham detailed efforts to achieve political consensus on the UK's future relationship with the European Union during his recent Labour conference speech, leaving open the possibility of a future manifesto pledge to reconsider EU membership.
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