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.
UK government says the Brexit result remains legitimate
PM 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. Junior foreign office Minister Stephen Doughty clarified PM Burnham’s remarks on Monday (October 12), saying there was no evidence that Russia successfully interfered in the referendum.
A spokesman for PM Burnham also said the government believed the referendum result was legitimate.
“I asked the question coming to Downing Street: was there interference in the 2016 referendum from Russia? PM Burnham did not spell out how he believed that Russia interfered in the referendum and gave no details on what evidence this statement was based.
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. And I’ve had the clear answer that yes, there was,” PM Burnham said in an interview with The Rest Is Politics podcast.
