UK PM Burnham says Russia interfered in 2016 Brexit vote

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has stated that it is clear Russia interfered with Britain’s vote to leave the European Union. In excerpts from the podcast "The Rest is Politics" released Sunday, Burnham said he asked his advisers about the issue when he became prime minister in July.

"I’ve had the clear answer that yes, there was," Burnham said. He added that it was important to put Moscow’s actions on the record to help voters in Germany and France understand that some political movements are "instigated via our enemies, namely Russia."

Departure from Previous Government Stance

Burnham’s comments mark a significant shift from the position held by previous Conservative governments, which insisted there was no evidence of successful Russian interference in the referendum. The prime minister did not disclose who provided the assessment, the specific evidence behind it, or whether the interference affected the final result of the vote.

According to a report by Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee in 2020, the government failed to fully assess the impact Russian state-run media and "troll" accounts could have had on the EU referendum. The committee noted that ministers had not sought a full assessment of Moscow’s activities, despite evidence of attempts to influence British politics.

Concerns About European Far-Right Links

Burnham linked the issue of Russian interference to broader concerns about far-right parties in Europe. He said he discussed the threat posed by the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz during a meeting in Berlin last week.

"You know he was saying to me that the AfD are clearly linked to Russia, funded I believe," Burnham said. He added that there is "certainly misinformation, disinformation that is emanating from Russia into German politics."

The UK government is currently developing a new National Centre for Information Defence to detect and disrupt hostile state information campaigns. A spokesperson stated that the government is focused on protecting citizens and institutions from foreign powers seeking to undermine democratic values.

Legal and Constitutional Context

While Burnham acknowledged interference, legal experts note that this does not automatically invalidate the referendum. The European Union Referendum Act 2015 established the vote as advisory, meaning the outcome did not itself authorize withdrawal. In the 2017 case R (Miller) v Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, the Supreme Court held that parliamentary authorization was required before ministers could initiate withdrawal under Article 50.

The Court of Appeal in R (Wilson and Others) v Prime Minister [2019] EWCA Civ 304 refused permission to appeal proceedings challenging the legality of the Article 50 notification, emphasizing the referendum’s advisory character. Consequently, evidence of foreign interference does not provide a direct legal mechanism to overturn the completed withdrawal from the European Union.

Why it matters

Burnham’s statement is believed to be the first time a British prime minister has publicly acknowledged Russian interference in the Brexit vote. This acknowledgment changes the official governmental position on the occurrence of interference, although it does not resolve questions about the scale of the activities or their impact on the voting outcome. The remarks come as UK intelligence agencies warn about increasing threats to democratic institutions and as European leaders grapple with the rise of far-right movements.

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Sources

• apnews.com: UK prime minister says it is 'clear' Russia interfered in Brexit vote | AP News
• mymotherlode.com: UK prime minister say it is ‘clear’ Russia interfered in 2016 Brexit referendum - myMotherLode.com
• scmp.com: It is ‘clear’ Russia interfered in Brexit referendum, says UK PM Burnham | South China Morning Post
• newscord.org: Andy Burnham Says Russia Interfered in 2016 Brexit Referendum: 16 outlets compared | NewsCord
• diplomacyandlaw.com: Russia Interfered in Brexit, UK Prime Minister Says: Could It Invalidate the Referendum?
• theguardian.com: Andy Burnham says it is clear Russia interfered in Brexit referendum | Brexit | The Guardian

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.