British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said Russia interfered in the 2016 referendum on the United Kingdom’s membership of the European Union, becoming the first UK prime
minister to publicly confirm that Moscow was involved in the campaign surrounding the historic vote.
In an interview released on Sunday by The Rest Is Politics podcast, Burnham said he had sought clarification on the issue after entering Downing Street in July. According to the prime minister, he received a clear response confirming that Russian interference had taken place.
“I asked the question coming to Downing Street, was there interference in the 2016 referendum from Russia? And I've had the clear answer that yes, there was,” Burnham said.
However, the prime minister did not explain how Russia allegedly intervened in the referendum or identify the evidence underpinning the conclusion. The Russian embassy in London had not immediately responded to a request for comment at the time of reporting. Moscow has previously rejected accusations of interference in the Brexit vote, describing British concerns about Russia as anti-Russian hysteria.
Burnham’s statement differs from the position taken by former prime minister Boris Johnson, a prominent campaigner for Brexit. In 2020, Johnson said there was no evidence that Russia had interfered in the referendum.
The UK’s parliamentary Intelligence and Security Committee reached a more cautious conclusion in its report published that year. It said the government had failed to establish whether Russia had meddled in the 2016 vote on EU membership. The committee also identified Russian efforts to influence Scotland’s 2014 independence referendum, although Scottish voters ultimately rejected independence.
The Brexit referendum, held in June 2016, resulted in 52% of voters supporting departure from the EU and 48% favouring continued membership. The outcome triggered years of political disputes over Britain’s future relationship with Europe and became one of the most consequential political decisions in the country’s recent history.
Burnham said making the issue public was important not only for Britain but also for other European democracies facing potential foreign interference. He argued that voters in countries such as France and Germany should be aware of attempts by Russia to influence political debates and electoral processes.
“These things are important now to put clearly on the record,” Burnham said, adding that he hoped the disclosure would help voters in both countries understand how some political activity could be encouraged or influenced by hostile foreign powers.
The prime minister’s remarks come as the UK government reassesses the country’s long-term relationship with the EU. In September, Burnham said Britain could consider rejoining the bloc in the future and indicated that he might campaign for renewed membership at the next general election.
His latest comments are likely to bring renewed attention to the circumstances surrounding the Brexit referendum and the extent to which foreign actors may have sought to influence British political debate. Nevertheless, the details of the alleged Russian involvement remain unclear, with Burnham providing no further explanation of the evidence behind his statement. Photo by Bulverton, Wikimedia commons.
