UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said there is compelling evidence of Russian interference in the United Kingdom’s 2016 referendum on leaving the European Union. He stressed the importance of formally acknowledging Moscow’s involvement, noting that many European countries face similar challenges.
In excerpts from the podcast “The Rest is Politics,” released on Sunday, Prime Minister Burnham said that when he became prime minister in July, he sought guidance from his advisers on the possibility of Russian influence in the 2016 referendum. The full episode is scheduled for release on Monday.
“I’ve had the clear answer that yes, there was,” Burnham said. “These things are important now to put clearly on the record, and I believe help voters in Germany and France understand that some of this politics is instigated via our enemies, namely Russia.”
Russia has long maintained that it does not interfere in other countries’ electoral processes or referendums. Nevertheless, Burnham’s comments come alongside warnings from UK intelligence agencies about the growing threat of Russian interference in British democratic institutions. Notably, this marks the first time a British prime minister has publicly acknowledged the potential for Russian interference in the Brexit referendum. Burnham also said he discussed possible links between Russia and the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) during a recent meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin.
“You know he was saying to me that the AfD are clearly linked to Russia, funded, I believe,” Burnham said. “There is certainly misinformation, disinformation that is emanating from Russia into German politics,” he added.
In 2020, Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee found that the government did not fully assess the potential impact of Russian state-run media and “troll” accounts on the EU referendum.
This article used information from The Associated Press.