Burnham says it is 'clear' Russia interfered in Brexit vote

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said in an interview for The Rest is Politics podcast, due for release Monday, that after arriving at No 10 he asked about possible Russian interference in the 2016 Brexit referendum and got “the clear answer that, yes, there was,” the BBC reported. Burnham said Britain had been “too much on the back foot” in informing the public about foreign efforts to disrupt the political process, and warned that similar Russian activities are under way in France and Germany. The BBC notes this is the first time a UK prime minister has said Russia sought to sway the 2016 poll; the 2020 Intelligence and Security Committee report had not reached a definitive conclusion. Pro-Brexit group Britain Unbound called the comments “another crude attempt to undermine the legitimacy” of the 2016 decision, while a Downing Street spokesperson said the government is protecting institutions from foreign powers through the National Security Act and the intelligence agencies.