Nigel Farage has branded Prime Minister Andy Burnham “a liar” over claims Russia interfered in the Brexit referendum. Mr Burnham said on Sunday that Moscow did intervene in the 2016 poll where the UK voted to leave the EU, and that similar activities were taking place in France and Germany.
PM's claims on Russian interference
The Prime Minister told The Rest is Politics podcast that when he entered Downing Street he had asked about possible Russian interference, adding: “I've had the clear answer that, yes, there was.”
“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,” he said.
Farage's response
When asked about the comments, Mr Farage, who was a leading Brexit campaigner, said: “The Prime Minister is a liar. Yes, a liar.”
Mr Burnham did not provide details about the type or extent of Russia’s interference during the Brexit campaign.
Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty said on Monday morning that he would not “get into specifics” when asked about the evidence of Moscow’s meddling. But he said the attempts were not successful.
Mr Doughty told LBC: “We know what the result was. I don’t think they’ve succeeded in their efforts. I don’t think they’ve succeeded in their efforts to undermine our elections.”
He added: “The security minister’s been very clear that they’ve attempted but not succeeded, in his evidence that he gave previously on this. But the fact is that they are attempting to interfere, and we all need to be alert to that and respond accordingly.”
Rejoin EU speculation and official response
During Labour conference earlier this month, Mr Burnham suggested it was “possible” the party’s next election manifesto could include an in-out referendum or even a pledge to rejoin the European Union.
Mr Farage said: “Boris Johnson, when he became foreign secretary, one of the first questions he asked was: ‘Was there seen to be Russian interference in the referendum campaign?’ And the answer was no.”
The Reform UK leader added that Mr Doughty admitted that “even if there was some [interference], it made no difference”. “There was no Russian interference, and the Russia hoax has run all the way through this,” Mr Farage said.
He added: “This is Burnham. This is an out-of-touch, out-of-date anti-Burnham with all sorts of bizarre ideas.”
Downing Street said the Prime Minister accepts the result of the Brexit referendum despite seeing evidence Russia tried to interfere. Mr Burnham’s official spokesman said: “Given everything we know about Russia, it is inconceivable they did not seek to use the referendum to their benefit. But as the minister (Stephen Doughty) said this morning, we do not believe they have succeeded.”
The spokesman said the Prime Minister “absolutely accepts the referendum result”. After repeated questioning the spokesman added: “Yes, we do believe the referendum result to be legitimate.”
