New UK agency to tackle Russia’s online lies, Burnham tells UN

• Andy Burnham has announced plans for a new National Centre for Information Defence during an address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
• The prime minister accused Russia of exploiting Brexit and conducting an industrial-scale assault to sow division and spread disinformation across the UK.
• Burnham accused Russian agencies of interfering in the 2019 general election, forging media branding, and using bots to amplify far-right narratives.
• The new unit will initially be run from the Office for the Prime Minister and Cabinet, coordinating with intelligence agencies, police, and social media companies.
• Defence Secretary Wes Streeting warned that the UK must defend its democracy against an increasingly challenging propaganda war waged by state threats.

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Putin exploiting Brexit to sow disinformation in Britain, Burnham tells UN