British Prime Minister Andy Burnham claimed Russia had interfered with the Brexit referendum in 2016, warning that similar activities were currently taking place in Europe – particularly France and Germany.
Burnham made the remarks on The Rest is Politics podcast released on Monday, Oct. 12. Later that same day, he announced that the UK is planning to hold its annual meeting with the European Union on Nov. 20, confirming the date in a statement to the House of Commons.
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Asked about the referendum, Burnham said he had raised the question of Russian interference after arriving at 10 Downing Street. “I’ve had the clear answer that, yes, there was [interference],” he said, according to BBC.
Russia’s full role remains unclear
While Burnham did not specify in which form the interference took or how far Moscow’s activity realistically went during the Brexit referendum, he argued the UK had not done enough to inform the public.
“I think we’ve been too much on the back foot on that actually, and we haven’t informed people sufficiently about the extent to which people are seeking to disrupt the political process from overseas,” he said.
The issue of Russian interference was also brought up during a discussion with German Chancellor Friderich Merz during Burnham’s recent visit to Germany. “There is certainly misinformation, disinformation that is emanating from Russia into German politics,” he noted.
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In recent months, Russia has escalated its aggressive rhetoric toward the West, making his remarks hardly surprising.
Russian diplomats have openly and directly threatened NATO over Kaliningrad and the Baltic states over the issue of Russian speakers, prompting concerns that the Kremlin may be searching for a justification for a direct attack on an EU member.
In recent days, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Ukraine’s prominent backer, has also come into focus after Polish authorities reported an alleged plot to assassinate him and Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz.
Russia has also stepped up its cyberattacks and hacking operations, with Russian disinformation campaigns now targeting possible contenders in France’s April 2027 presidential elections, according to an analysis by Ukraine’s Center for Strategic Communications.
On Sept. 24, Marine Le Pen, the far-right National Rally leader and a contender in France’s 2027 presidential election, said that she would end financial aid to Ukraine and withdraw France from NATO. According to Ukrainian analysts, pro-Kremlin narratives have similarly advocated for a future French president to leave the alliance and restore relations with Russia.
Concurrently on Monday, Foreign Office Minister Stephen Doughty declined to discuss specifics of the 2016 case.
“Russia clearly has attempted to interfere on a number of our democratic processes,” Doughty told BBC. “They’re engaged in information warfare, they’re spending £1.5 billion [roughly $1.9 billion] this year alone on disinformation and propaganda.”
Following Ukraine’s latest strikes on three Yandex data centers in Russia between Oct. 8 and 11, Russia’s cyber operations and automated online activity appear to have been substantially reduced.
However, Doughty denied claims that Burnham raised the issue as an argument for rejoining the EU. “This is a broader point he is making about Russian attempts to destabilize and interfere in our democracy,” he continued.
Pro-Brexit campaign group Britain Unbound called the remarks “another crude attempt to undermine the legitimacy of the decision that the British people made in 2016,” BBC reported.
The group said foreign interference was “obviously unacceptable,” but disputed that it changed the result. “It is also insulting to suggest that voters were so easily duped,” it said.
In 2020, Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee reported on Russian activity in UK votes, reaching no firm conclusion on the referendum. Still, it criticized successive governments for failing to assess or counter the threat.
At the time, Russia’s foreign minister dismissed the report as “Russophobia.” The same year, then-Conservative government said it was “almost certain that Russian actors sought to interfere” in the 2019 general election.
The upcoming summit in Brussels
In his Commons statement, Burnham said he wanted to finalize the agreements previously begun by his predecessor Keir Starmer.
After that, he said, the UK should take a “calm, clear-eyed, rational look” at even closer ties with the EU. During the upcoming summit in November, both sides are expecting to sign agreements on agriculture and food trade, emissions trading, and a youth mobility scheme.
“If we are serious about promoting growth, controlling immigration, upholding our values and security, it is a conversation we must have,” Burnham said, adding that “sticking with the status quo is not good enough for Britain.”
As an immediate priority, he cited securing a successful outcome during the summit, which he believed would then set up a serious dialogue about the options for bilateral relations in the long-term.
According to Politico, Burnham’s previous option suggestions included rejoining the single market, customs union, or even the EU wholesale.
The meeting, he said, would also prove as a chance to raise the UK’s concerns about “Made in Europe” – EU’s program to favor European-made products, from which some member states want to exclude the UK.
European Council President António Costa issued a statement around the same time, explaining that the three deals could be complemented by agreements on a defense and security partnership, migration and law enforcement. “Our security and prosperity are closely intertwined, making a strong partnership between us essential,” Costa, who is expected to join the summit alongside European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, said.
This year’s meeting was initially planned for July, but was postponed after UK’s former Prime Minister Sir Keith Starmer’s government had collapsed.
Meanwhile, the Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch accused Burnham of reopening settled debates, Politico reported.
“Just like some people thought all of Britain’s problems would be solved by leaving the EU, some now think all our problems will be solved by rejoining. Neither of these are serious positions,” she noted.