Politics · United Kingdom · 11 hrs ago
Burnham says Russia interfered in the Brexit referendum
Andy Burnham said Russia interfered in the 2016 Brexit referendum.
He made the comment in an interview on the Rest is Politics podcast.
Burnham did not say whether the interference changed the result.
Earlier governments had said they had seen no evidence of successful interference, while avoiding a direct claim that Russia interfered.
Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty said the result stood and that Britain needed to be honest about threats to its democracy.
The Conservatives criticised Burnham for reopening the debate, saying the referendum was legitimate.
Burnham is also expected to argue for a closer relationship with the European Union in a statement to MPs.
Andy Burnham said Russia interfered in the Brexit referendum in an interview on the Rest is Politics podcast.
He did not say whether he thought the interference affected the referendum result.
The Conservative Party criticised Burnham for raising the issue, calling it dangerous and divisive.
Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty said the government was talking about attempts to interfere and that threats existed.
Previous UK governments have said they saw no evidence of successful interference in the referendum.
- Who
- Andy Burnham said Russia interfered. The Conservatives criticised him, and Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty commented on the issue.
- What
- Burnham confirmed Russian interference in the Brexit referendum. He did not say whether it affected the result.
- When
- The article was published on 12 October 2026. The interview took place before that, but its date is not stated.
- Where
- Not stated
- Why
- Not stated
Burnham and the government
Conservatives
Interference
Burnham and the government
Burnham said Russia interfered in the referendum; Doughty said there had been attempts to interfere.
Conservatives
Andrew Bowie said the referendum was legitimate and criticised Burnham for reopening the debate.
Effect on the result
Burnham and the government
Burnham did not say whether interference affected the result; Doughty said the government was talking about attempts to interfere.
Conservatives
Bowie said people voted in record numbers to leave the European Union and objected to reopening the debate.
The government said it had seen no evidence of successful interference in the EU referendum.
Burnham confirmed in a Rest is Politics podcast interview that Russia interfered in the Brexit referendum.
The Guardian reported Burnham’s remarks and the responses from Doughty and Bowie.
- Speaker
- Andy Burnham
- Claim
- Russia interfered in the Brexit referendum
- Podcast
- Rest is Politics
- Government position in 2020
- No evidence of successful interference in the EU referendum
- Conservative critic
- Andrew Bowie, shadow energy secretary
What people are saying
The result is the result, and I think the prime minister has been very clear that he’s talking about attempts to interfere. The security minister has spoken about this before. I’m confident that both the British people and the British state are able to respond to and defend against these types of threats, but we need to be very honest that those threats exist.
That Brexit referendum was a legitimate vote. People voted in this country in record numbers to leave the European Union. And I actually think it’s very dangerous and divisive of the prime minister to reopen this debate in such an explosive fashion.
Sources
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