UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said Russia interfered in Britain’s 2016 referendum on leaving the European Union, adding that the issue must be officially acknowledged as other European countries face similar threats.
Speaking in excerpts from The Rest Is Politics podcast released on Sunday, Burnham said he had asked his advisers about possible Russian interference after becoming prime minister in July and received a clear answer.
“I’ve had the clear answer that yes, there was,” he said.
Burnham said documenting the interference was important to help voters in other European countries understand how foreign powers could influence domestic politics.
“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,” he said.
The full podcast episode is scheduled to be released on Monday. Russia has repeatedly denied interfering in elections or referendums in other countries.
Burnham’s remarks come as UK intelligence agencies warn of a growing threat from Russian interference in Britain’s democratic institutions. His comments are believed to mark the first time a British prime minister has publicly acknowledged Russian interference in the Brexit referendum.
He also revealed that he had discussed possible links between Russia and Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz during their meeting in Berlin last week.
Burnham said Merz had indicated that the AfD was linked to Russia and believed the party received Russian funding. He also pointed to the spread of misinformation and disinformation originating from Russia in German politics.
In 2020, the UK Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee found that the government had failed to fully assess the potential impact of Russian state-controlled media and online “troll” accounts on the EU referendum.
Burnham’s comments have renewed attention on foreign interference in democratic processes across Europe, amid concerns over the spread of disinformation and its potential influence on voters.
