Brief
MI5 chief says Russia attempted Brexit referendum interference
Ken McCallum told a threat briefing that Russian state media and fake social‑media accounts sought to influence the referendum, though he said the effort was not sophisticated or decisive.
By Felo News Desk · Published
MI5 director‑general Ken McCallum told a parliamentary threat update on Tuesday that Russia tried to interfere in the 2016 Brexit referendum through English‑language broadcasters and internet trolls, but he said the attempts did not meaningfully affect the outcome.
What happened
McCallum said Russian‑owned TV channels RT and Sputnik ran “biased anti‑migration and anti‑EU” pieces around the referendum period. He added that a “second line of interference” involved fake accounts on X that posted pro‑Leave content. Neither tactic, he said, was sophisticated or successful.
What the reports add
The Guardian noted that the digital campaign group 89up counted 261 misleading articles from RT and Sputnik, generating about 134 million potential page impressions. Other studies have estimated the size of the Russian‑linked troll network anywhere from 54 to 150,000 accounts, showing wide variation in the data.
What was said
"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," Prime Minister Andy Burnham told the BBC, as reported by the Guardian. McCallum said the interference attempts were “a big difference between what may have been attempted and what actually resulted.”
How it came about
Burnham first raised the issue in a podcast interview on Sunday, prompting the MI5 briefing the next day. Earlier Felo coverage linked Burnham’s comments to ongoing scrutiny of Russian influence operations (Andy Burnham says Russia interfered in Brexit referendum).
Key facts
- MI5 director‑general Ken McCallum said Russia attempted to interfere in the Brexit referendum via RT, Sputnik and fake social‑media accounts. (theguardian.com)
- The interference was described as unsophisticated and not decisive in shaping the vote outcome. (theguardian.com)
- Digital group 89up recorded 261 misleading articles from RT and Sputnik, reaching an estimated 134 million page impressions. (theguardian.com)
Sources
- [1] theguardian.com — originally reported as “Russia did try to interfere in Brexit referendum, head of MI5 confirms”
