UK Prime Minister: Russia interfered in the 2016 Brexit referendum

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated officially for the first time that Russia actively interfered in the 2016 Brexit referendum. In an interview on a political podcast, he said he received a clear answer to his question on the matter. Burnham warned of an ongoing Russian disinformation campaign in Europe and called for informing the public about the scope of attempts to disrupt democratic processes.

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham was interviewed on the political podcast "The Rest Is Politics: Leading," published yesterday (Sunday), and stated officially for the first time that Russia actively interfered in the 2016 Brexit referendum. Burnham said that upon entering Downing Street he asked the question and received a clear answer that yes, such interference had occurred. He also addressed the ongoing Russian disinformation campaign in Europe, noting that he had recently spoken with the German chancellor about the matter. According to him, it is important to lay things out clearly on the table to help voters in Germany and France understand that some political trends are orchestrated by Britain's enemies, chief among them Russia. Burnham added that Britain had been on the defensive and had not sufficiently informed the public about the scope of attempts by foreign actors to disrupt the democratic process. Last month it was reported that, according to intelligence information, Russia plans to attack in Spain, France or Italy as part of the escalation against countries that support Ukraine.