India, Oct. 12 -- UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said Russia interfered in Britain's 2016 referendum on leaving the European Union, marking what is believed to be the first time a British prime minister has publicly acknowledged Moscow's role in the vote.

The comments came during "The Rest is Politics" podcast, whose excerpts were released on Sunday. While talking about the alleged increased Russian interference in European politics, Burnham said he sought clarity on the Brexit issue from his advisers after becoming prime minister in July.

"I've had the clear answer that yes, there was," Burnham said. He added that putting the interference on record was important as other European countries face similar threats to their democratic p...