According to new research, Russian Twitter accounts have spread messages to support the opposition Labor Party in an attempt to influence last year's British election.
Research from Swansea University and the Sunday Times found that some 6.500 automated accounts sent messages praising opposition Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn and his policies in the closing stages of the election.
They also attacked Prime Minister Theresa May for refusing to take part in the televised electoral debates and criticized her for cutting the number of policemen following the Manchester attack. The study found nine messages on 10 of Labor Party reports. In contrast, nine out of ten conservative tweets were hostile.
"These new revelations are extremely worrying," Minister of Culture Matt Hancock said in a statement. "It is absolutely unacceptable for any nation to try to interfere in the democratic elections of another country".
The British government has accused Russia of meddling in elections around the world and of planting false stories in the media, but denied that Russia has successfully interfered in the British elections.
