Labour’s Dark Scheme Against Press EXPOSED

A man in a white shirt and tie gestures while speaking at a podium with a British flag backdrop

A Labour-linked think tank hired private investigators to compile deeply personal smears against British journalists—including false claims about their heritage and fabricated Kremlin connections—raising alarming questions about press freedom and government integrity under Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Story Snapshot

Labour Together spent £36,000 hiring PR firm Apco Worldwide to investigate Sunday Times and Guardian journalists exposing its undeclared £700,000+ donations
The investigation included false personal claims about reporter Gabriel Pogrund’s Jewish background and baseless allegations of Kremlin-linked hacks
Digital Minister Josh Simons commissioned the probe while directing Labour Together; Starmer denies knowledge but maintains “full confidence” in Simons
Cabinet Office launched investigation amid growing cross-party demands for transparency and accountability over this attack on press freedom

Labour-Linked Think Tank Targets Investigative Reporters

Labour Together commissioned Apco Worldwide in 2023 to investigate journalists from The Sunday Times and The Guardian who were reporting on the think tank’s undeclared donations exceeding £700,000. Josh Simons, then-director of Labour Together and now Digital Minister in Starmer’s government, authorized the £36,000 contract. The resulting report went far beyond tracing sources, compiling deeply personal and false information about Gabriel Pogrund and Harry Yorke, including fabricated claims about Pogrund’s Jewish heritage and unfounded allegations of Kremlin-linked hacking. This represents a disturbing escalation from legitimate source protection to character assassination of journalists performing their democratic duty.

Report Circulated Among Senior Labour Officials

The investigation’s findings were shared informally with Labour cabinet ministers and advisers throughout 2024, raising serious questions about who knew what and when. Simons claims he was “shocked” by the personal details included and insisted problematic sections were redacted before the report was passed to GCHQ. However, the Apco contract explicitly specified investigating the journalists and “creating narratives” around them. Morgan McSweeney, former Labour Together director and recently resigned No. 10 chief of staff, was aware of Apco’s work. Adding to concerns about conflicts of interest, Kate Forrester—McSweeney’s wife—ran Apco’s London office and served on its advisory board during this period.

Starmer Denies Knowledge as Cabinet Office Probes

Prime Minister Keir Starmer denies any prior knowledge of the journalist investigations while maintaining full confidence in Minister Simons. The Cabinet Office confirmed it is “looking into” Labour Together’s actions following revelations in The Sunday Times. Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall stated the government values press freedom and emphasized the probe’s seriousness. Conservatives, led by Kevin Hollinrake, sent a formal letter demanding Labour suspend all ties with the think tank and provide full transparency, calling the actions “contempt for free press.” Labour has not responded to the opposition’s demands, fueling accusations of stonewalling.

Cross-Party Pressure Mounts Over Press Freedom Concerns

Labour MPs John McDonnell, Clive Lewis, and Karl Turner joined Conservative critics in demanding an independent inquiry. McDonnell, representing the National Union of Journalists parliamentary group, called the allegations “unacceptable if true.” Dawn Alford of the Society of Editors warned the scandal sets a “profoundly troubling” and “dangerous precedent” for press freedom in Britain. The targeting of journalists for exposing legitimate funding transparency issues undermines the constitutional role of a free press as a check on political power. This episode threatens to chill investigative journalism precisely when transparency matters most—with Labour holding government power and facing scrutiny over its connections to opaque funding sources and personnel conflicts.