Russia did try to interfere with Brexit vote but had little impact, MI5 chief says
Also reported by Guardian World
Summary
The head of MI5, Sir Ken McCallum, confirmed that Russia tried to interfere in the 2016 Brexit vote using online trolls and bots, but he said this interference probably did not change the result. UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham said it was "clear" there was interference, though he later emphasized that it likely did not affect the vote outcome.Key Facts
- MI5 chief Sir Ken McCallum says Russian interference in the Brexit referendum involved online trolls and automated accounts (bots).
- McCallum warned against exaggerating the impact of Russia’s efforts on the Brexit result.
- Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated Russia tried to interfere in the 2016 vote but did not claim it changed the result.
- Conservative leaders criticized Burnham for suggesting the referendum’s legitimacy was in question.
- Russian media outlets like Russia Today and Sputnik were active around the time of the referendum.
- Sir Ken agreed Russia also interfered in the 2019 UK general election through hacks and leaks.
- Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson said security services found no evidence of successful Russian interference in 2016 when he was foreign secretary.
- There is no firm conclusion yet from UK authorities on how much Russian interference influenced the referendum.
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