UK's Burnham accuses Russia of meddling in Brexit vote

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham accuses Russia of meddling in Brexit vote

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UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has accused Russia of meddling in the Brexit vote, according to DW News. Burnham made the comments in an interview with The Rest is Politics podcast, released on Sunday. He stated that he had posed the question upon first arriving in Downing Street, and was given a "clear answer that yes, there was [a link to Russian interference]."

Burnham did not provide evidence of the Kremlin's efforts to influence the June 2016 vote, where the UK decided to leave the EU by a 52% to 48% majority. However, he emphasized the importance of voters being better informed about efforts to disrupt their 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.

Burnham's comments mark a departure from those of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who campaigned to leave the EU and said in 2020 there was no evidence of Russian interference in the referendum. The UK Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee found in 2020 that the government had failed to fully assess how Russian state-run media and “troll” accounts could have impacted the vote.

The UK's intelligence agencies believe Russia continues to spread disinformation to undermine public trust, alongside cyberattacks, sabotage and espionage. They say the issue is getting worse and is often aided by artificial intelligence (AI). Russia has long denied meddling in other countries' elections or referendums.

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