Burnham claims Russian interference in Brexit vote

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 13 Oct, 16:44 · Archive

Andy Burnham alleged 'clear' Russian interference in the 2016 Brexit referendum, prompting Boris Johnson to dismiss the claim as untrue.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham alleged that there was 'clear' evidence of Russian interference in the 2016 Brexit referendum. The claim prompted rapid backtracking by Downing Street.

Boris Johnson, who held the Foreign Office in 2016, dismissed the Prime Minister's remarks as 'just not true'. Johnson cited conversations he had with the security services at the time, and said either they had changed their view – which he described as unlikely – or Burnham was 'lying'.

The Guardian reports that Russian meddling probably did not affect the referendum result, though the Kremlin's motives for wanting to undermine the European Union still matter. During the Brexit campaign, Johnson had blamed Moscow's 2014 annexation of Crimea on the European Union, arguing that Brussels had provoked Putin by making foreign policy 'on the hoof'.

How it is being reported

• Brexiters can’t cope with the fact that Putin was cheering them on | Rafael BehrRussian meddling probably didn’t affect the referendum result – but the Kremlin’s motives for wanting to undermine the EU still matter Russian territorial aggression against Ukraine didn’t feature much in the Brexit referendum campaign. It made headlines briefly when Boris Johnson blamed Moscow’s 2014 annexation of Crimea on the European Union . According to the Vote Leave frontman, Vladimir Putin’s land grab was a consequence of Brussels making foreign policy “on the hoof” and having “pretensions to running a defence policy”. Rafael Behr is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...The Guardian · 13 Oct, 16:21
• DAILY MAIL COMMENT: A sorry attempt to impugn Brexit voteAndy Burnham's allegation of 'clear' Russian interference in the Brexit vote was a slur on the legitimacy of that historic referendum.Daily Mail · 13 Oct, 08:04

In this story: Andy Burnham · Boris Johnson · Russia · European Union · Kremlin

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