Lobbyist Hired by Influential Thinktank Accused of Probing Guardian Reporter
A lobbyist employed by a prominent thinktank has been accused of investigating a Guardian journalist, escalating a political scandal involving undisclosed donations and alleged smear campaigns against the media. Tom Harper, a senior director at the US public affairs firm Apco, authored a 58-page report for Labour Together, a thinktank pivotal in Keir Starmer's Labour leadership victory. The report examined journalists behind a 2023 Sunday Times story that revealed £730,000 in undeclared donations to Labour Together.
Details of the Controversial Report and Allegations
Harper's report, commissioned by Labour Together, claimed without evidence that the Sunday Times story was based on data hacked from the Electoral Commission, linking it to Russia. It also scrutinized the religious and ideological backgrounds of journalists and sources involved. According to recent reports, Harper has since been investigating Henry Dyer, an investigations correspondent at the Guardian, suggesting without proof that Dyer might be part of a pro-Russia campaign. Apco is already under investigation by the Public Relations and Communications Association's standards committee for its research into journalists.
Political Fallout and Calls for Action
The decision by Labour Together to commission this research has sparked widespread political backlash. Josh Simons, who was director of Labour Together at the time and is now a Cabinet Office minister, approved a £36,000 payment to Apco to investigate the origins of the story. There are now cross-party calls for Starmer to dismiss Simons, especially after a Guardian report revealed that Simons falsely accused journalists of having links to Russian intelligence. Simons is currently subject to a Whitehall ethics inquiry over the matter.
Emails disclosed show that Simons and his chief of staff contacted the National Cyber Security Centre in 2024, falsely claiming that journalists obtained information from a Russian hack and that one journalist was living with the daughter of a former adviser to Jeremy Corbyn, who was suspected of ties to Russian intelligence. A spokesperson for Simons has denied these claims, stating they are untrue.
Background on Labour Together and Its Influence
Labour Together has been a significant force within the Labour Party, originally led by Morgan McSweeney, who recently resigned as Starmer's chief of staff. The thinktank was used to develop strategies to replace Corbyn as leader and shift control of the party. The Apco report focused on two Sunday Times journalists, including Gabriel Pogrund, discussing his faith and making unsubstantiated claims about pro-Russia connections. A shorter version of the report was forwarded to GCHQ by Simons, omitting the section on Pogrund.
Freelance journalist Paul Holden, who provided documents for the original Sunday Times story, has shown source materials indicating the story was based on files leaked from the Labour Party by whistleblowers, not hacked data. A spokesperson for Simons reiterated that Labour Together commissioned Apco to investigate Holden's information for his book. This scandal highlights ongoing tensions between thinktanks, lobbyists, and media integrity in UK politics.
