A scandal has rocked the Labour Party after it emerged a think tank linked to the party paid £36,000 to a US lobbying firm to dig up dirt on Sunday Times reporters. One Labour MP slammed the move as “shameful”, while the Prime Minister has ordered a Cabinet Office investigation into claims of a Russia smear campaign.
Labour Together Commissioned Controversial Dossier
Josh Simons, now an MP and Cabinet Office Minister, was head of Labour Together when the organisation hired APCO Worldwide to probe reporters Gabriel Pogrund and Harry Yorke. The journalists were investigating the think tank’s donations, prompting the dossier that sought to link them — without evidence — to Russian interference.
Labour MP Stella Creasy didn’t hold back, saying:
“Genuinely shocked to read this and what happened. Shameful.”
Her rare public blast highlights the unease within Labour as the report fuels claims of dirty tricks close to Number 10.
Spy Agency and Smears: A Toxic Mix
- The 58-page APCO report accused the two journalists of Kremlin ties — a claim widely dismissed as bogus.
- Portions of the dossier made their way to intelligence agency GCHQ, which declined to investigate.
- The spy agency’s involvement raised eyebrows about the investigation’s legitimacy and motives.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he had no prior knowledge of the dossier.
“There will be a Cabinet Office investigation into the allegations. I didn’t know anything about this investigation, and it absolutely needs to be looked into.”
Political Fallout and Calls for Transparency
Labour Together was once run by Morgan McSweeney, the Prime Minister’s ex-Chief of Staff who resigned amid the Lord Mandelson scandal. The think tank was key to Starmer’s leadership campaign, making the revelations especially damaging.
Conservative Shadow Justice Secretary Nick Timothy called for answers:
“Labour Together took Starmer to the leadership of his party. It paid foreign lobbyists to smear the journalists who investigated. Starmer has serious questions to answer.”
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall added on Times Radio:
“We absolutely value the freedom of the press. It’s right this issue is being investigated by the relevant regulatory body and the Cabinet Office.”
What’s Next?
- The Cabinet Office will probe why Labour Together commissioned APCO, who authorised the payment, and how the dossier was used.
- A separate regulator is investigating the American firm behind the report.
- MPs across parties demand to know who green-lit the dossier and why bogus Russia claims were made.
- The scandal piles more pressure on Starmer, already reeling from recent controversies.
The investigation promises to expose the inner workings of Labour’s campaign tactics and could reshape the party’s relationship with the press.
