The declare marks the primary time a UK prime minister has publicly acknowledged Russia’s interference within the vote to depart the EU.
Revealed On 12 Oct 2026
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has mentioned it’s “clear” that Russia interfered within the nation’s 2016 Brexit vote, warning French and German voters of the identical menace.
“I requested the query coming to Downing Avenue: Was there interference within the 2016 referendum from Russia? And I’ve had the clear reply that sure, there was,” Burnham mentioned in an interview with The Relaxation Is Politics podcast launched on Sunday.
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Burnham’s feedback mark the primary time a UK prime minister has publicly acknowledged that Russia interfered within the UK’s vote to depart the European Union. Burnham didn’t present proof for or particulars on the declare.
He mentioned that “this stuff are necessary now to place clearly on the document, and, I imagine, assist voters in Germany and France perceive that a few of this politics is instigated by way of our enemies, specifically Russia.”
Burnham mentioned he spoke with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz about potential hyperlinks between Russia and the far-right Different for Germany occasion when the 2 leaders met final week in Berlin.
In his tackle to the United Nations Common Meeting in September, Burnham additionally condemned Russia’s try and intrude within the UK’s 2019 normal election.
Based on a 2020 report by Parliament’s Intelligence and Safety Committee, the UK authorities had did not ask for a deep evaluation of Russia’s interference within the 2016 referendum. The report did affirm that Russia had meddled within the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, nonetheless.
Russia has repeatedly denied meddling in Western democracies or interfering in a foreign country’s elections or referendums, casting the UK as being gripped by “anti-Russian hysteria”.
UK reconsiders Brexit
Final month, Burnham argued that the UK ought to rethink choices for a future relationship with the EU, together with rejoining the bloc, reigniting the decisive debate greater than a decade after the historic vote.
He mentioned that the UK’s departure from the bloc had did not fulfil Brexit supporters’ pledge of “taking again management”, and as a substitute has made the UK weaker economically and on immigration.
