British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said Russia interfered in the 2016 Brexit referendum and warned of attempts to influence political life in France and Germany, Reuters reported, citing an interview he gave to the podcast The Rest Is Politics, published last night.
Burnham, who took office in July, said he had received confirmation of Russian interference since taking office. "When I walked into Downing Street, I asked whether Russia had interfered in the 2016 referendum. I got a clear answer: yes, there was interference," he said.
The prime minister did not specify how Moscow had influenced the vote or provide details of the evidence he was citing. The Russian embassy in London has not yet commented on the statement. Moscow has previously dismissed such accusations as anti-Russian hysteria.
Burnham's statement contrasts with the position of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who supported leaving the EU and in 2020 said there was no evidence of Russian interference in the referendum.
In the 2016 vote, 52% of British voters supported leaving the European Union, while 48% voted against. The decision triggered a prolonged political crisis in Britain.
A 2020 report by the parliamentary Intelligence and Security Committee concluded that the British government had failed to establish whether Russia interfered in the Brexit referendum. The document also states that Moscow tried to influence the Scottish independence referendum in 2014, when a majority of voters rejected secession from the United Kingdom.
Burnham called on voters in European democracies to be better informed about such attempts at influence. "It is important that these facts are clearly brought to the public. I think this will help voters in Germany and France understand that some of the political processes are being directed by our adversaries, namely Russia," he said.
Last month, the British prime minister said that in the next general election he could campaign for Britain to rejoin the EU, reopening the debate on the country's relations with Europe.