UK PM Burnham says Russia interfered in 2016 Brexit referendum

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he received a clear assessment that Russia interfered in the United Kingdom’s 2016 referendum on membership of the European Union.

Burnham said he specifically sought answers about possible Russian involvement after entering Downing Street and was told that interference had taken place.

Speaking on The Rest Is Politics podcast, the Prime Minister said the issue should be placed clearly on the public record as European democracies face growing concerns about foreign interference and disinformation.

Burnham does not say interference changed Brexit result

Burnham did not disclose who provided the assessment, what evidence it was based on or whether Russian activity affected the referendum’s outcome.

That distinction is important because Britain voted by a narrow margin in 2016 to leave the European Union, beginning the process that eventually resulted in Brexit.

A 2020 report by Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee did not establish that Russia had changed the referendum result. Instead, it criticised the government and intelligence agencies for failing to properly investigate possible Russian attempts to interfere.

Junior Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty has also said Russia attempted to interfere but maintained that those efforts did not succeed in influencing the result.

UK raises wider concern over Russian disinformation

Burnham said the issue had wider implications for European democracies, particularly Germany and France.

He said German Chancellor Friedrich Merz had raised concerns with him about links between Russia and Germany’s far-right Alternative für Deutschland party, while also warning about Russian misinformation and disinformation entering European politics.

Burnham’s government has separately announced plans for a new centre designed to counter hostile-state information operations.

The Prime Minister is also seeking closer ties between Britain and the European Union, arguing that the country should reassess its post-Brexit relationship with the bloc.