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UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has accused Russia of interfering in the 2016 Brexit referendum, according to The Guardian.
“I asked the question coming to Downing Street: well, was there interference in the 2016 referendum from Russia? I’ve had the clear answer that yes, there was,” Burnham said on the podcast “The Rest Is Politics”.
Burnham did not identify the source of the assessment, provide evidence for it or say whether the alleged interference affected the referendum result, the newspaper reported.
He said the UK should be more transparent about attempts by hostile states to interfere in its politics, adding that the information could help voters in Germany and France understand that some political activity was being instigated by Russia.
Burnham acknowledged that the government had not adequately informed the public about the extent of efforts by foreign actors to disrupt the UK’s political process.
He also said he had discussed the threat posed by Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party with Chancellor Friedrich Merz during a visit to Berlin this week. Burnham said Merz had expressed concern about the party’s alleged links to Russia.
“One thing I did say to Chancellor Merz … is we need to support you in taking on the threat that you face and particularly the type of politics that you’re facing,” Burnham said.
He added that Merz had told him the AfD was “clearly linked to Russia – funded, I believe”. Burnham also claimed that Russia was “certainly” spreading misinformation and disinformation in German politics.
