Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has publicly asserted that Russia interfered in the 2016 Brexit referendum. Speaking on the podcast 'The Rest is Politics,' Burnham stated that he sought clarification on the matter during a visit to Downing Street. According to Burnham, he directly asked officials whether Moscow had attempted to influence the outcome of the vote and received a definitive confirmation that such interference occurred.

Burnham’s remarks are significant because they contradict the long-standing position held by previous Conservative administrations, which generally downplayed or avoided confirming direct Russian involvement in the referendum process. While Burnham did not provide specific details regarding the nature or extent of the alleged interference, his public declaration brings renewed attention to the debate surrounding foreign influence in British democratic processes. The claim suggests a potential shift in how government officials are addressing intelligence findings related to the 2016 vote. As of now, there has been no immediate official response from the current government or intelligence agencies to corroborate or clarify the specific details of the confirmation Burnham claims to have received.