British PM says it is 'clear' Russia interfered with Brexit vote
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham says Russia interfered in the 2016 Brexit vote and is spreading disinformation in Europe.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham told The Rest is Politics that officials confirmed Russia interfered in the 2016 Brexit referendum after he asked on entering office. He said Russian misinformation and disinformation are also directed at German and French politics, and that he raised the issue with Chancellor Friedrich Merz, without describing methods or scale. A 2020 Intelligence and Security Committee report criticised governments for not fully assessing the threat, and the then-government later said it was almost certain Russian actors sought to interfere in the 2019 election. Burnham has announced a UK centre to counter disinformation.
- Burnham says No 10 confirmed Russian interference in the 2016 Brexit referendum.
- He warned of Russian disinformation targeting politics in Germany and France.
- Britain Unbound said there is no evidence interference changed the result.
- The UK plans a new centre to counter foreign disinformation.
- Threat actors
- Kremlin
- Countries
- United KingdomRussiaGermanyFrance
From the original article
3 min read at bbc.com
Andy Burnham has said Russia did interfere with the Brexit referendum and warned that similar activities were taking place in France and Germany. The prime minister told The Rest is Politics podcast that upon arriving in No 10, he had asked about possible Russian interference in the 2016 vote, adding: "I've had the clear answer that, yes, there was."
By MilnerRoute · bbc.com
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