Burnham says he was told Russia interfered in 2016 Brexit referendum
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he was given a "clear answer" on entering No 10 that Russia interfered in the 2016 EU referendum. He made the remarks on The Rest Is Politics podcast, due out Monday.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said the UK is "clear" that there was Russian interference in the 2016 Brexit referendum. Evening StandardN “Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said the UK is “clear” there was Russian interference in the Brexit referendum.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ MetroLC “Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said the UK is ‘clear’ that there was Russian interference in the Brexit referendum.” Read at Metro ↗ Centre · 1He said that when he entered No 10 in the summer he asked whether Moscow had interfered in the vote and was given "the clear answer that yes, there was". Evening StandardN “I asked the question coming to Downing Street, well was there interference in the 2016 referendum from Russia? I’ve had the clear answer that yes, there was.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Centre · 1Burnham made the remarks to The Rest Is Politics podcast, which is due to be released on Monday. Evening StandardN “Mr Burnham, speaking to the Rest Is Politics podcast to be released on Monday” Read at Evening Standard ↗
Centre · 1He said it was important to put this "clearly on the record" to help voters in Germany and France understand that some of this politics is "instigated via our enemies, namely Russia", amid the rise of far-right parties there. Evening StandardN “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.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Centre · 1He added that the UK had been "too much on the back-foot" and had not "informed people sufficiently about the extent to which people are seeking to disrupt the political process from overseas". Evening StandardN “I think we’ve been too much on the back-foot on that actually and we haven’t informed people sufficiently about the extent to which people are seeking to disrupt the political process from overseas.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Mixed · 2Burnham said he discussed the threat from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz when they met in Berlin this week, and that Merz told him the AfD were "clearly linked to Russia, funded I believe". Evening StandardN “You know he was saying to me that the AfD are clearly linked to Russia, funded I believe.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ MetroLC “when they met in Berlin this week” Read at Metro ↗
Centre · 1Last month, in a speech to the UN General Assembly, Burnham said there was evidence Moscow tried to interfere in the 2019 general election. Evening StandardN “saying at the time there was evidence Moscow tried to interfere with the 2019 general election.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Mixed · 2Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee found in 2020 that the Government failed to fully assess the impact Russian state-run media and "troll" accounts could have had on the EU referendum. Evening StandardN “Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee found in 2020 that the Government failed to fully assess the impact Russian state-run media and “troll” accounts could have had on the EU referendum.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ MetroLC “Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee found in 2020 that the Government failed to fully assess” Read at Metro ↗ Mixed · 2Separately, Burnham set out plans in his Labour conference speech to seek political consensus on the UK's future relationship with Brussels, and has left open a future manifesto pledge to rejoin the EU. Evening StandardN “has left open the possibility of a future manifesto pledge to rejoin the bloc.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ MetroLC “has left open the possibility of a future manifesto pledge to rejoin the bloc.” Read at Metro ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- Metro presents the remarks as Burnham 'confirming' Russian interference, with a picture caption saying he was told this in No 10.
- Emphasis
- The confirmation itself, plus a caption noting some are urging Burnham to rejoin the EU.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Offers no reaction from critics and no detail of the evidence Burnham was given.
- Charged language
- “confirms”
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Evening Standard leads on Burnham saying it is 'clear' Russia interfered, with his argument about informing the public of overseas disruption.
- Emphasis
- Burnham's remarks on disinformation and the need to inform the public, and the Merz/AfD conversation.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not note any independent evidence beyond the 2020 committee finding; no opposition reaction.
- Charged language
- “our enemies”
- For example
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“He said people have not been informed enough of ‘the extent to which people are seeking to disrupt the political process from overseas’.” — Evening Standard
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Burnham says he was given a clear answer in No 10 that Russia interfered in the 2016 referendum.
- The remarks came on The Rest Is Politics podcast, to be released Monday.
- The 2020 Intelligence and Security Committee found the Government failed to fully assess Russian influence on the referendum.
- Burnham has left open a future manifesto pledge to rejoin the EU.
Andy Burnham person
Says he asked on entering No 10 whether Russia interfered in 2016 and was told yes; wants this on the record to help voters in Germany and France, and says the UK has been too much on the back foot.
“I’ve had the clear answer that yes, there was.” — Evening Standard
Left1 article
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MetroLC ·
Andy Burnham confirms Russia interfered in Brexit vote
Neutral Near-identical account, but the headline says Burnham 'confirms' interference, presenting it as established.
Centre1 article
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Burnham says it is ‘clear’ Russia interfered in Brexit referendum
Neutral Reports Burnham's podcast remarks as a statement of what he was told, with background on the 2020 committee finding.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 11 Oct 12:06 First Evening StandardN Burnham says it is ‘clear’ Russia interfered in Brexit referendum
- 11 Oct 14:04 +1h 59m MetroLC Andy Burnham confirms Russia interfered in Brexit vote
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.