When Andy Burnham became prime minister in July, he asked whether the Kremlin had been involved in the 2016 Brexit referendum. He said he received 'the clear answer that, yes, there was' involvement.
Burnham made the disclosure during an appearance on the UK politics podcast The Rest is Politics. The episode was scheduled for release on 12 October, after the Observer reported his acknowledgement on 11 October.
It is the first public acknowledgement by a sitting British prime minister of Russia’s role in the Brexit campaign.
The referendum divided the country, with 52% voting to leave the EU and 48% voting to remain in the bloc.
Russia has long been suspected of encouraging euroscepticism in the UK and other European countries. It has also been suspected of seeking to strengthen the ‘Leave’ campaign more than ten years ago.
Days before making the disclosure, Burnham travelled to Berlin to meet the German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz.
The visit came after the pro-Russian Alternative for Germany party won elections in the eastern regions of Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg West Pomerania in September.
Burnham said the disclosure should be made plainly. ‘These things are important now to put clearly on the record and, I believe, help voters in Germany and France understand that some of this politics is instigated via our enemies, namely Russia’.
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