U.K. PM Burnham says Russia interfered in 2016 Brexit vote
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham claimed that Russia interfered in the 2016 Brexit referendum, marking a shift from previous government stances. However, his office later clarified that there is no evidence such interference successfully altered the final result.
Why it matters
The statement reignites debates regarding foreign influence in democratic processes and highlights the ongoing political sensitivity surrounding the Brexit vote.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Russia interfered in the 2016 Brexit vote, although his office later stated that Moscow failed to influence the result and the decision to leave the European Union was legitimate.
PM Burnham, who took over as Britain’s leader in July and said last month that Britain could consider rejoining the European Union in the future, is the first British Prime Minister to say openly there was evidence of Russian interference in the vote.
He made the comment as he warned voters in France and Germany about Moscow-backed efforts to influence their politics.
“I asked the question coming to Downing Street: was there interference in the 2016 referendum from Russia? And I’ve had the clear answer that yes, there was,” PM Burnham said in an interview with The Rest Is Politics podcast.
Also covering this story
5 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
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