What is really going on in politics? Get our daily email briefing straight to your inbox Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Theresa May is under increasing pressure to launch an independent inquiry into Russian meddling in the Brexit referendum and British politics.

But the Prime Minister's spokesman this morning said Number 10 did not have any evidence of successful interference in British electoral systems.

Labour’s Ben Bradshaw this morning called on ministers to "come clean" about what they know and launch a fully independent inquiry.

He said: “In the face of mounting evidence of Kremlin interference in the Referendum we now have several investigations - but none have the power to get to the truth fast.”

Last night, the Prime Minister accepted there had been interference in Western democratic processes, issuing a stern warning to Vladimir Putin: “We know what you are doing and you will not succeed.”

(Image: Getty Images Europe)

It emerged over the weekend that a network of Kremlin linked Twitter accounts were used ahead of the Brexit vote to spread racial hatred in an attempt to disrupt politics in the UK and Europe.

The network also targeted posts in response to terrorist attacks across the continent.

Damian Collins, the MP in charge of the Commons Fake News investigation, said this was “the tip of the iceberg” - but “confirms what we’ve always believed…that that Russian-controlled accounts have been politically active in the UK as well as America.”

Asked last month if he had seen any evidence of any Russian interference in British politics, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said: "I haven't seen a sausage."

Mr Bradshaw added: "Now May has finally acknowledged the problem - probably because something's coming - Ministers must come clean on what they know, not least since Boris Johnson twice last week denied being aware of any Russian interference."