UK Prime Minister says Russia interfered in Brexit referendum, admits Britain responded too passively

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated that Russia interfered in the 2016 Brexit referendum and warned similar actions may occur in France and Germany, according to the BBC. Burnham disclosed that after becoming Labour Party leader and prime minister, he inquired about potential Russian interference during his initial meeting at Downing Street. He declared, "I received a clear answer: Yes, it happened."

Burnham emphasized that the UK had been "far too passive" in addressing Russian interference, failing to adequately inform the public about foreign actors attempting to destabilize the political process. The pro-Brexit group Britain Unbound criticized Burnham's remarks, labeling them as an "attempt to undermine the legitimacy" of the 2016 referendum result. They maintained that there was "no compelling reason to believe Russian interference influenced the outcome."

During a visit to Germany, Burnham discussed Russian interference with Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who also acknowledged disinformation coming from Russia that influences German politics. Burnham stressed the importance of establishing the facts and helping voters in Germany and France understand that these political developments are being driven by Russia.

This marks the first time a British prime minister has attributed Russian involvement in the Brexit referendum, although warnings about Kremlin interference in British politics have been frequent. The British Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee reported in 2020 that Russia may have interfered in UK elections but did not conclude definitively. Russia's Foreign Ministry dismissed the report as "Russophobia," while a Kremlin spokesperson claimed Russia did not interfere in other countries' elections.

The Conservative government confirmed in 2019 that "Russian actors almost certainly sought to interfere" in the 2019 general election. The U.K. Electoral Commission's head, Vijay Rangarajan, warned earlier this year that Russian deepfake videos had been widely used in elections across the world. Burnham accused Russian intelligence services of employing "every tool at their disposal to spread lies and disinformation and exploit people's fears," promising to establish a new center to combat disinformation.

A poll conducted for The Guardian in June 2020 found that 60% of young British voters wanted the country to rejoin the EU.