PM believes Brexit vote was legitimate despite Russia interference claims, No 10 says

Key Points:

• Downing Street confirmed that the 2016 Brexit referendum result was "legitimate," despite Prime Minister Rishi Sunak acknowledging Russian attempts to interfere in the vote, though he believes these efforts did not influence the outcome.
• Andy Burnham stated he was told there was Russian interference in the referendum, highlighting ongoing concerns about misinformation and disinformation from Russia aimed at disrupting political processes.
• Nigel Farage strongly denied any Russian interference, calling the prime minister a "liar," while Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey praised Sunak's acknowledgment of the issue as courageous.
• The government has not provided detailed evidence of Russian activities during the referendum but acknowledges ongoing attempts by Russia to interfere in UK democratic events, as noted in an independent review on foreign influence published earlier this year.
• Past government assessments, including a 2020 parliamentary report, criticized the UK for insufficiently addressing Russian threats on social media, though no definitive conclusion was reached about successful interference in UK elections or referendums.