Labour Group Reportedly Tried to Find Out Who Told News About Funding

News reports say that Labour Together, a group linked to the Labour Party, might have hired a company to look into journalists. This is said to have happened when the group did not report over £700,000 in donations. The company was asked to find out who was giving information to the news.
By Newsroom | UK Politics, Labour Party |

Unveiling Potential Efforts to Identify Media Sources

Recent reports indicate that Labour Together, a think tank with close ties to senior figures in the Labour Party, may have hired a public relations firm to investigate journalists. This action is understood to have occurred during a period when the think tank faced media attention regarding its undeclared donations, totaling over £700,000. The investigations reportedly aimed to uncover the sources of leaks to the press.

Labour think tank commissioned firm to investigate journalists, BBC understands - 1

  • The central issue is whether a Labour-aligned entity commissioned a firm to profile journalists. This raises questions about transparency and the protection of journalistic sources.

Background and Key Actors

Labour Together was notably involved in the campaign that led to Sir Keir Starmer's election as Labour leader, succeeding Jeremy Corbyn. Following media revelations about its financial dealings, which resulted in a penalty from the Electoral Commission, the think tank is alleged to have engaged the services of APCO Worldwide, a public affairs firm.

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Labour think tank commissioned firm to investigate journalists, BBC understands - 2

  • Morgan McSweeney, a former director of Labour Together, has been named in connection with the hiring of APCO. However, sources close to him suggest he did not make the decision to hire the firm.

  • Josh Simons, also a director at Labour Together, has been identified as being in his position when APCO was hired.

Evidence of Investigation and Target Journalists

Reports suggest that APCO Worldwide was tasked with investigating journalists from The Sunday Times, The Guardian, and other news outlets.

Labour think tank commissioned firm to investigate journalists, BBC understands - 3

  • Information purportedly included details about a journalist's personal background, including religious beliefs and ideological stances. For instance, details concerning journalist Gabriel Pogrund's Jewish faith and political outlook are cited.

  • A memo is also said to have been produced by APCO with the apparent intention of discrediting journalist Paul Holden, who collaborated on a story for The Sunday Times.

  • The firm was also reportedly asked to profile journalists who might be investigating Labour Together's funding.

Financial Dealings and Oversight

The allegations surface in the wake of media reports concerning Labour Together's failure to declare significant donations.

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Labour think tank commissioned firm to investigate journalists, BBC understands - 4

  • The think tank reportedly failed to report over £700,000 in donations, leading to a penalty from the Electoral Commission.

  • Labour Together has reportedly received substantial funding from Sir Trevor Chinn, described as a prominent pro-Israel donor in the UK.

Contradictory Accounts and Defense

While Labour Together has declined to comment on the allegations, and APCO has been contacted for their response, there are differing accounts regarding the purpose of the firm's engagement.

  • Josh Simons has reportedly described the claims as "nonsense."

  • Simons stated that APCO was engaged to investigate a suspected illegal hack, asserting it had no connection to UK journalists. He has not committed to releasing the report detailing this investigation.

  • Sources close to Morgan McSweeney indicate that any decision to hire APCO was a matter for Labour Together and not solely his.

Political and Ethical Ramifications

The reports have prompted calls for independent inquiries from within the Labour Party.

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  • John McDonnell, a former shadow chancellor, has publicly requested that the Labour Party conduct an inquiry into Labour Together and associated individuals.

  • The revelations come at a time when Morgan McSweeney has faced scrutiny related to his role in the appointment of Peter Mandelson as US ambassador.

  • The core of the controversy centers on a potential effort to identify journalists' sources by a politically connected entity. This action, if substantiated, could have significant implications for press freedom and accountability.

Expert Analysis

"The work of journalists is vital to our democracy."— A statement attributed to an unspecified source, emphasizing the importance of a free press in the context of these allegations.

Findings and Implications

Evidence suggests that Labour Together engaged APCO Worldwide during a period of intense media scrutiny over its finances. Reports indicate the firm was tasked with investigating journalists and potentially identifying their sources. While a full denial has been issued by Josh Simons regarding the nature of the investigation, framing it as a response to a suspected hack, the details reported by multiple news outlets raise pertinent questions. The precise nature and scope of APCO's work, and the extent of knowledge and approval from key individuals within Labour Together, remain subjects requiring further clarity. The calls for an independent inquiry underscore the political sensitivities and ethical considerations surrounding these allegations.

Sources

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is Labour Together?
Labour Together is a group that works with the Labour Party. It helped Keir Starmer become the leader of the party.
Q: What is the main problem?
People say Labour Together may have paid a company to find out which journalists were reporting on their money problems.
Q: Why did they have money problems?
The group did not tell people about more than £700,000 in donations they received. The election watchdog made them pay a fine for this.
Q: What did the company do?
Reports say the company looked into journalists from The Sunday Times and The Guardian. They looked at personal details about the journalists.
Q: What does Labour Together say?
A person from Labour Together said the claims are not true. He said the company was hired to look into a possible computer hack, not journalists.