Burnham confirms Russian interference in Brexit vote

Prime Minister Andy Burnham confirmed that the UK is 'clear' that Russian interference occurred during the 2016 EU referendum. He stated he asked this question upon entering No 10 and was given a 'clear answer that yes, there was interference.'

Burnham emphasized the importance of making this information public to inform voters in Germany and France about the influence of foreign actors in domestic politics. He noted the rise of far-right parties as a concern.

The Intelligence and Security Committee found in 2020 that the government did not fully assess the impact of Russian state media and 'troll' accounts on the EU referendum. Burnham spoke about this during a recent podcast interview.

During a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin, Burnham addressed the threat posed by the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. Merz indicated that AfD is linked to Russia, with funding and disinformation from Moscow.

Burnham also mentioned his speech at the UN General Assembly, where he highlighted evidence of Russian interference in the 2019 UK general election. He argued that the UK has been too reactive in addressing foreign influence in politics.

Burnham outlined plans for a Labour conference speech focusing on the UK’s future relationship with Brussels, while leaving open the possibility of a future manifesto pledge to rejoin the EU.