Josh Simons, a Cabinet Office minister, is currently under investigation after his former think tank, Labour Together, allegedly ordered a smear campaign against journalists. This shocking revelation has caused quite a stir in the political world, as Simons was the director of the think tank in 2023 when the incident occurred. The investigation was ordered in response to journalists trying to uncover the source of Labour Together’s funding at the time.
Simons, who was elected as a Labour MP in 2024 and is now a member of the government, has expressed his surprise and shock at the extent of the investigation. He has stated that he was not aware that the investigation would go beyond the scope of the contract at the time. This incident has caused a major headache for the Labour party, as it reflects poorly on their integrity and values.
So, what exactly happened and why is Labour Together being investigated? Labour Together is a think tank that is closely linked to Keir Starmer and his rise to power. It was previously headed by Morgan McSweeney, who left his position as the prime minister’s chief of staff earlier this month. The think tank allegedly commissioned PR consultancy Apco Worldwide to conduct an investigation into the “backgrounds and motivations” of journalists who were looking into the think tank’s funding.
According to The Sunday Times, the investigation was ordered after the think tank failed to declare £730,000 of donations between 2017 and 2020. The report, which was shared informally with Labour figures, included false claims about journalists Gabriel Pogrund and Harry Yorke, who were investigating the think tank’s funding. The report also made baseless claims about Pogrund’s Jewish heritage, which is completely unacceptable and goes against the values of the Labour party.
The investigation was conducted by Apco’s senior director, Tom Harper, who is a former Sunday Times employee. He allegedly used “discreet human source inquiries” and documents to gather information for the report. Harper also claimed that some of the emails used as evidence in the Sunday Times’ reporting came from a “suspected Kremlin hack of the Electoral Commission”. This is a serious allegation and raises concerns about the integrity of the investigation.
The report was paid for and reviewed by Josh Simons, which has sparked outrage across the political spectrum. The government has responded by launching a Cabinet Office investigation into the matter. Speaking to reporters, Keir Starmer confirmed that the investigation is already in place and stated that it needs to be looked into. He also added that he was not aware of the investigation at the time and that the Cabinet Office will establish the facts.
However, there are concerns that the Cabinet Office’s probe will not be a formal inquiry. Liz Kendall, the science and technology secretary, has suggested that the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) will be launching the official investigation. She also emphasized the importance of a free press in a parliamentary democracy and stated that the facts need to be established before any action can be taken.
The government has refused to provide further details on the investigation, but it is believed that it will be led by the Cabinet Office’s propriety and ethics team. The spokesperson for No.10 has stated that the dates of the incident precede the current government and that they have confidence in Josh Simons as a minister. However, the opposition parties have called for a more thorough investigation and have criticized the government’s response.
Multiple Labour MPs have also expressed their concerns and have called for an independent investigation. Richard Burgon, a left-wing Labour MP, stated that the party needs to take these allegations seriously and that an independent investigation is necessary. The Conservatives have also called for an immediate investigation into Simons’ role in the probe. The Liberal Democrats and the Green Party have also condemned the incident and have called for transparency and accountability.
In response to the allegations, Josh Simons has stated that he was surprised and shocked to read the report and that he had asked for the unnecessary information about Gabriel Pogrund to be removed before passing it on to GCHQ. He also clarified that no other British journalists were investigated in any document he or Labour Together received.
This incident has raised concerns about the culture within the Labour party and the use of shady tactics to silence journalists and critics. It is important for the party to take these allegations seriously and to conduct a thorough investigation to ensure that such incidents do not occur in the future. The freedom of the press is a crucial aspect of
