The Observer’s Carol Cadwalladr has denied claims that documents linking Brexit campaign donor Arron Banks to Russia reached her after being hacked from former Sunday Times political editor Isabel Oakeshott.

Documents seen by the Observer suggested Leave.EU donor Banks had three meetings with Russian embassy officials in the run-up to the Brexit referendum. He had previously disclosed only one.

However, the story was published first in the Sunday Times online on Saturday after Observer journalist Cadwalladr (pictured, left) contacted Banks for comment for Friday.