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Burnham says he was told Russia interfered in 2016 Brexit referendum

Andy Burnham says he received confirmation of Russian interference after entering Downing Street. He has not disclosed the supporting evidence or established an effect on the result.

By Charlotte Mercer • Published 12 October 2026 at 08:55 • 2 min read
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Prime Minister Andy Burnham says he was told Russia interfered in the 2016 Brexit referendum after asking about the issue when he entered Downing Street.

Speaking to The Rest Is Politics podcast, in remarks reported on Sunday, Burnham said he had received a clear answer when he raised the question.

He said he had asked whether there was Russian interference in the referendum, adding: “I’ve had the clear answer that yes, there was.”

Evidence behind the briefing not disclosed

Burnham did not set out how Russia had interfered or provide the evidence underpinning his statement. Russia has previously denied interfering in the Brexit vote.

His account of what he was told does not establish that Russian activity changed the referendum result. The existence of interference and its effect on voters are separate questions.

Earlier scrutiny of the referendum

Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee found in 2020 that the government had failed to fully assess the potential impact of Russian state-run media and online troll accounts on the EU referendum.

The Conservative government’s position, reiterated in a parliamentary answer in August 2020, was that it had seen no evidence of successful interference in the referendum.

That earlier wording concerned successful interference. It should not be treated as identical to saying that no interference was attempted.

Warning about threats to European politics

Burnham argued that Britain needed to be more open with the public about attempts by hostile states to disrupt political processes. He said putting the issue on the record could help voters in France and Germany understand the threats they faced.

The development is the prime minister’s public account of the answer he received. It is not the publication of an intelligence assessment demonstrating the scale or electoral consequences of Russian activity.

Sources

  1. ITV News — Burnham’s podcast remarks, published 11 October and updated 12 October 2026
  2. Reuters — Burnham’s statement and the absence of disclosed supporting evidence, 11 October 2026
  3. Associated Press — podcast excerpts and the 2020 committee’s findings, 11 October 2026
  4. UK Parliament — government answer on Russian interference, 3 August 2020
  5. UK Government — response to the Intelligence and Security Committee’s Russia report, July 2020
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