Downing Street was forced to clarify the Prime Minister’s position after Andy Burnham claimed Russia had interfered in the EU referendum.
Speaking on a podcast, the PM said he was told “clearly” after entering Downing Street that Vladimir Putin’s regime had meddled in the 2016 vote.
The remarks appeared to mark the first time a serving prime minister had publicly acknowledged foreign influence in the referendum, triggering an angry response from Brexit supporters.
Conservatives accused Mr Burnham of promoting “conspiracy theories about the Brexit referendum”.
Nigel Farage went further, accusing him of dishonesty. “The Prime Minister is a liar… there was no Russian interference and the Russia hoax runs all the way through this,” he told a press conference.
Within hours, Downing Street issued a clarification, saying that although Russia may have tried to influence the referendum, the Government did not believe those efforts had worked and maintained that the result was “legitimate”.
The official spokesman said: “Given everything we know about Russia, it is inconceivable they did not seek to use the referendum to their benefit.”
“But… we do not believe they have succeeded.”
The spokesman added: “The PM accepts the referendum result, he is not looking back he is looking to the future.”
He would not say whether Mr Burnham had been shown specific evidence to support the claims of Russian interference.
Andy Burnham is expected to reignite the Brexit debate in the Commons after saying he could campaign for Britain to rejoin the European Union
Earlier, one of Mr Burnham’s own ministers appeared to be attempting to soften the impact of the comments.
Foreign minister Stephen Doughty told LBC: “We know what the result was. I don’t think they’ve succeeded in their efforts to undermine our elections.”
He continued: “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.”
The political dispute began after Mr Burnham discussed alleged Russian interference during an appearance on The Rest is Politics podcast.
Mr Burnham said he had discussed Russia’s influence with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz during a visit to Berlin the previous week.
“There is certainly misinformation, disinformation that is emanating from Russia into German politics,” he said.
“But I asked the question coming to Downing Street: was there interference in the 2016 referendum from Russia? And I’ve had the clear answer that yes, there was.”
“I mean, these things are important now to put clearly on the record and help voters in Germany and France understand that some of this politics is instigated via our enemies, namely Russia.”
Mr Burnham said the UK had been ‘too much on the back foot’ and as a result voters had not been ‘informed sufficiently about the extent to which people are seeking to disrupt the political process from overseas’.
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The muddle came as Mr Burnham prepares to reignite Brexit wars in the Commons, after suggesting he could support rejoining the EU.
The PM is set to make a statement to MPs later arguing that cutting ties with Brussels has not ‘delivered what was promised’.
He will tee up a summit with the EU next month, saying failing to seek closer relations would be a ‘dereliction of duty’.
Last week Mr Burnham used his conference speech to reopen the issue of EU membership, despite vowing before taking over from Keir Starmer that he would not.
Mr Burnham told Europhile party activists that he wanted to explore ‘options’ including committing to rejoin in the next election manifesto. He refused to say whether there would need to be another referendum.
Ahead of the Commons returning this afternoon, a No10 source said: ‘Andy understands why some politicians don’t want to face up to the reality that Brexit has not delivered what they once promised.
‘But it is time for a different conversation about what our long-term relationship should be.
‘Sticking with the status quo and not working relentlessly to secure a good deal that boosts growth would be a major dereliction of duty.’
London Mayor Sadiq Khan stepped up his drive for rejoining the EU, saying the ‘case has never been stronger’.
‘The Mayor believes that walking away from our largest trading partner was the biggest act of economic self-harm in the history of our country,’ a spokesman told the Standard.
‘That is why he wholeheartedly supports the Prime Minister’s ambition to seek a closer relationship with the EU to put our capital, country and continent on course for a more secure and prosperous future.’
He added: ‘The case for rejoining the EU has never been stronger – and Sadiq is clear that immediate steps should be taken to deepen integration with our European neighbours in order to boost our economy and drive-up living standards.’
More in Common polling released today underlined the scale of the challenge facing Mr Burnham in winning public support for any option.
Two-thirds of Brits were adamant a referendum would be needed to rejoin the EU.
But large proportions have tricky red lines, with 45 per cent saying any contributions to Brussels coffers would be unacceptable. Some 40 per cent insisted access to UK fishing waters would be a dealbreaker – even though EU boats have been granted rights even after Brexit.
Tory frontbencher Andrew Bowie told Times Radio Mr Burnham’s remarks on the referendum were ‘dangerous and divisive’.
‘We know that Russia and indeed Iran and other adversaries of ours around the world have been interfering or seeking to interfere in elections and referendums in this country and indeed within our allies for many, many years,’ he said.
Vladimir Putin’s regime has been repeatedly accused of trying to influence democracies in the West
‘But that Brexit referendum was a legitimate vote.
‘People voted in this country in record numbers to leave the European Union. And I actually think it’s very dangerous and divisive of the prime minister to reopen this debate in such an explosive fashion.
‘He knows that the division that was sowed by that referendum, the best way to resolve any lingering issues around that referendum is to get on and make the most of what we have now through Brexit, the best of the trade deals that we have, and indeed the benefits that we can get from being outside the European Union, such as being exempt from Trump’s tariffs that he introduced earlier this year.’