British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has claimed that Russia interfered in the 2016 Brexit referendum, warning that similar disinformation efforts are underway in France and Germany.
Speaking on the podcast The Rest Is Politics, Burnham mentioned he received confirmation of Russian interference after taking office at Downing Street. He also admitted that the British government had not adequately informed citizens about the extent of foreign interference in democratic processes, though he did not provide details on the evidence or the actual impact of Moscow on the referendum outcome.
British Foreign Minister Stephen Doughty reiterated that Russia is conducting propaganda and disinformation campaigns, but avoided discussing the alleged 2016 interference in detail. He also dismissed suggestions that the Prime Minister's statements were intended to challenge Brexit.
The pro-Brexit group Britain Unbound criticized the claims, arguing there is insufficient evidence to support the notion that Russian intervention influenced the vote's outcome.
Back in 2020, a report from the Parliamentary Intelligence and Security Committee highlighted the British government's shortcomings in assessing and countering the Russian threat, without reaching definitive conclusions on interference in the referendum.
Concerns also extend to new technologies: BBC Verify has documented disinformation campaigns using AI-generated fake videos to mimic journalists and news outlets. London is now focused on strengthening countermeasures, institutions, and security services to safeguard democracy from foreign interference.
(Associated Medias) - Tutti i diritti sono riservati