Labour MPs Demand Inquiry into Thinktank's 'Unacceptable' Journalist Smears
Veteran Labour backbencher John McDonnell has called for an independent inquiry, stating that if allegations are true, the smearing of journalists by a thinktank linked to Keir Starmer is 'unacceptable'. This follows revelations about a report commissioned by Cabinet Office minister Josh Simons, which made baseless claims about reporters investigating Labour Together, the thinktank that helped propel Starmer to power.
Pressure Mounts on Starmer and Simons
The calls add significant pressure on Keir Starmer, with MPs urging him to address the affair personally. According to sources and documents seen by the Guardian, Simons commissioned the report in 2023 while he was director of Labour Together. The research, paid for and reviewed by Simons, was conducted by Apco Worldwide, a PR consultancy.
In an agreement addressed to Simons, Apco agreed to investigate the sourcing, funding, and origins of a November 2023 Sunday Times report about the thinktank, as well as other journalistic investigations into the group. The Sunday Times later reported that the contents of Apco's investigation were informally shared with Labour figures in 2024, including present cabinet ministers and special advisers.
Baseless Allegations and Kremlin Links
The report contained allegations about Gabriel Pogrund and Harry Yorke, journalists at the Sunday Times, which spread around Westminster. Tom Harper, Apco's senior director and a former Sunday Times employee, wrote that he examined the story's origins using documents and discreet human source enquiries. Harper made baseless claims that emails underpinning the published story likely came from a suspected Kremlin hack of the Electoral Commission, stating, 'The likeliest culprit is the Russian state, or proxies of the Russian state.'
Additionally, Apco's report referred to Pogrund's Jewish background and made unfounded allegations about his faith, upbringing, and personal and professional relationships. Simons has since stated he was surprised and shocked by this extension beyond the contract, asking for the information to be removed before passing the report to GCHQ.
Calls for Accountability and Scrutiny
John McDonnell, the former chancellor, revealed he has written three times in recent weeks to the general secretary of the Labour party, copying Keir Starmer into each request, to call for an independent inquiry. He emphasized, 'Clear to me as secretary of the NUJ's parliamentary group if true this is unacceptable.' Another Labour MP, Karl Turner, urged the prime minister to look into the affair himself and meet McDonnell to discuss it.
The contract also showed Simons requested information on sources for a book by Paul Holden about Morgan McSweeney's role in Starmer's rise, as well as related articles by US journalist Matt Taibbi. McSweeney, the prime minister's recently departed chief of staff who previously ran Labour Together, is under scrutiny for his role in the operation to gather material on journalists.
Ongoing Investigations and Responses
An investigation into Apco's research has been launched by the Public Relations and Communications Association's standards committee, which Simons has welcomed. He asserted that no other British journalists were investigated in any document he or Labour Together ever received. As the scandal unfolds, the focus remains on ensuring transparency and accountability within Labour's ranks, with MPs demanding swift action to address these serious allegations.
