British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Russia interfered in the 2016 Brexit referendum, the first UK prime minister to make such a claim openly. Burnham, who took office in July 2026, made the statement in an interview with The Rest Is Politics podcast released on Sunday, October 11.

"I asked the question coming to Downing Street, was there interference in the 2016 referendum from Russia? And I've had the clear answer that yes, there was," Burnham said. He did not spell out specific methods of interference or provide details about what evidence this conclusion was based on. The Russian embassy in London did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Burnham's statement represents a significant shift from his predecessor Boris Johnson, who campaigned for Britain to leave the EU and stated in 2020 that there was no evidence of Russian interference in the 2016 referendum. The 2016 referendum resulted in a 52%-48% vote to leave the European Union.

In July 2026, Burnham said Britain could consider rejoining the European Union in the future, reopening the country's divisive debate over its relationship with the continent. He has since said he could campaign to take Britain back into the EU at the next general election.

Burnham framed his comments as part of a broader warning to European democracies about foreign interference. He said voters in Germany and France needed to be better informed about Russian efforts to disrupt their politics. "These things are important now to put clearly on the record, and I believe, help voters in Germany and France understand that some of this politics is instigated via our enemies, namely Russia," he said.

According to a 2020 report by parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee, Britain's government failed to establish whether Russia meddled in the 2016 referendum on EU membership. However, the same report found that Russia had sought to influence Scotland's 2014 independence referendum, in which voters rejected independence. Russia has previously denied meddling in the Brexit vote, describing Britain as gripped by anti-Russian hysteria.

Burnham also took aim at Russian information warfare during a speech to the UN General Assembly last month, saying at that time there was evidence Moscow tried to interfere with the 2019 general election. During a recent visit to Berlin, he discussed the threat of Russian-linked disinformation with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, noting that the far-right Alternative for Germany party has links to Russia.