Newly released documents reveal that top advisors to Prime Minister Keir Starmer were briefed on a deeply troubling investigation targeting journalists who dared to write critically about the Labour Together think tank. This revelation raises serious questions about the current administration's commitment to protecting press freedom and holding powerful institutions accountable.

The documents detail how Morgan McSweeney, Starmer’s former chief of staff, and other senior aides were informed about the probe commissioned by Josh Simons, then director of Labour Together. This probe sought to uncover the sources behind stories exposing £740,000 in undeclared donations made to the think tank when it was under McSweeney’s leadership. The think tank was subsequently fined £14,250, a paltry sum compared to the scale of the initial infraction.

Six months before Labour's electoral victory in 2024, Simons reached out to McSweeney and Paul Ovenden, Starmer’s director of political strategy, to provide updates on the investigation. This investigation was outsourced to Apco Worldwide, a US-owned PR firm, effectively weaponizing corporate power against independent journalism.

The investigation's focus wasn't on correcting factual inaccuracies or engaging in open dialogue. Instead, Apco sought to dig into the personal lives and motivations of journalists like Henry Dyer of the Guardian, Gabriel Pogrund and Harry Yorke of the Sunday Times, and John McEvoy of Declassified UK. This kind of intimidation tactic chills free speech and undermines the vital role journalists play in holding power to account.

An email dated January 14, 2024, reveals Simons informing McSweeney and Ovenden that Tom Harper, Apco’s senior director, would be delivering a report on journalist Paul Holden. The subsequent Apco report crossed a line by including details about Pogrund’s faith and personal relationships. Furthermore, it made the unsubstantiated and inflammatory claim that Pogrund’s reporting could be seen as “destabilising to the UK and also in the interests of Russia’s strategic foreign policy objectives.” This kind of smear tactic is deeply concerning and should be condemned in the strongest possible terms.

The fact that Simons, who was later appointed a minister, felt comfortable commissioning this type of investigation – and that senior advisors were briefed on it – speaks volumes about the culture within Labour Together and, potentially, the broader Labour Party. It also highlights the need for greater transparency and accountability in political financing and the operations of think tanks.