“The clear answer was yes”: UK PM Andy Burnham says Russia interfered in 2016 Brexit vote and warns France and Germany of Moscow’s influence

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Russia interfered in the 2016 Brexit referendum, saying he was told there had been meddling after asking about it when he entered Downing Street. He is the first sitting UK prime minister to publicly acknowledge Russian interference in the vote, according to current reporting. Burnham did not identify who provided the assessment or disclose the intelligence or evidence behind it.

A 2020 report by Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee found that the government had failed to fully assess the possible impact of Russian state media and social media accounts on the referendum. Russia has repeatedly denied interfering in British democratic processes.