Andy Burnham said it was "inconceivable" that Russia did not try to interfere in the 2016 EU referendum, while insisting he was not calling the result illegitimate.
01Summary
- 01Burnham told The Rest is Politics podcast that he had been given the "clear answer" that there was Russian interference in the referendum.
- 02A No 10 spokesperson said Burnham believes it is highly likely Russia tried to influence the result, but not that those efforts were successful.
- 03Kemi Badenoch accused Burnham of implying the Brexit result was illegitimate and asked him to publish evidence of Russian influence.
- 04Nigel Farage called Burnham "a liar" and said there was no Russian interference, while Boris Johnson said security services had found no evidence of successful interference in 2016.
- 05A 2020 parliamentary report did not reach a firm conclusion on Russian intervention, while a government review this year said foreign influence efforts aimed to sow distrust in UK democracy.
02Why it matters
The row touches on the legitimacy of one of the UK's most significant votes and could shape debate over foreign interference in future elections and referendums. It also raises pressure on the government to publish any evidence it holds.
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