Brexiters admit to ‘spin and deception’ in referendum
A LEADING Brexiter has admitted he “led people up the garden path” during the referendum campaign, during a fiery clash with MPS investigating so-called fake news.
Leave.eu founder Arron Banks said it had used “alternative methods” to influence the Brexit vote, as he and its communications chief Andy Wigmore were grilled by MPS.
In a robust and occasionally confrontational display at the Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, the pair admitted using spin and exaggeration.
But they criticised the evidence from whistleblowers including Brittany Kaiser and Chris Wylie.
Mr Banks confirmed Leave.eu had yesterday lodged an appeal against an Electoral Commission finding that the organisation breached spending rules during the referendum.
He also confirmed to the committee investigating “fake news” that the Brexit-backing group held talks with controversial data firm Cambridge Analytica and intended to use its services if it had been selected as the official Leave campaign – which it was not. Mr Banks said: “We were not above using alternative methods to punch home our message or lead people up the garden path if we had to.”
Mr Wigmore added that “the piece of advice that we got, right from the beginning, was remember referendums are not about facts, it’s about emotion”.
He was challenged on a previous claim that Leave.eu had “AI machine learning developed in Bristol by 20 mathematicians and actuaries with input from Cambridge Analytica at the very beginning and then executed by [US political consultancy] Goddard Gunster”.
He replied: “There was probably a bit of boastfulness. I’m an agent provocateur, my job is to spin.”
Mr Banks also addressed reports from the Sunday Times claiming he held a series of undisclosed meetings with Russian embassy officials around the time of the referendum.
The paper said it had seen emails showing he also discussed a potential business deal involving six Russian gold mines with ambassador Alexander Yakovenko.
Mr Banks admitted seeing the ambassador twice, and the mines owner but declined to get involved after being advised it could be “problematic”.