Why Is A Minister Being Investigated Over An Alleged Smear Campaign Against Journalists?

A Cabinet Office minister is under investigation after his former think tank allegedly ordered a smear campaign against journalists.

Josh Simons was the director of Labour Together in 2023 when the pro-Keir Starmer think tank ordered an investigation into the “backgrounds and motivations” of reporters.

The journalists were trying to look into the source of the think tank’s funding at the time.

Simons was elected as a Labour MP in 2024 and is now a member of the government, meaning the issue is set to cause another headache for Labour.

He has said he is “surprised and shocked to read the report extended beyond the contract” at the time.

Here’s what you need to know about this new saga.

Why Is Labour Together Being Investigated?

Labour Together is a think tank closely linked to Starmer and his rise to power.

It used to be headed up by Morgan McSweeney, who left his position as the prime minister’s chief of staff earlier this month. 

The organisation allegedly commissioned PR consultancy Apco Worldwide to write a report which made false claims about journalists who were investigating the think tank, according to The Sunday Times.

That investigation examined “sourcing, funding and origins” of a November 2023 Sunday Times report into Labour Together’s funding, after the group failed to declare £730,000 of donations between 2017 and 2020.

Its findings – which included allegations about Sunday Times’ journalists Gabriel Pogrund and Harry Yorke – were then shared informally with Labour figures.

Apco’s senior director and a former Sunday Times employee, Tom Harper, reportedly claimed to use “discreet human source inquiries” and documents as part of his report.

He allegedly claimed some of the emails backing up the Sunday Times reporting came from a “suspected Kremlin hack of the Electoral Commission”.

The Apco probe allegedly referred to Pogrund’s Jewish heritage and made baseless claims about his faith, too.

The research was paid for and then reviewed by Simons, according to The Guardian.

This move has sparked outrage across the political spectrum in recent days.

What Has The Government Said?

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Starmer confirmed there would be a Cabinet Office investigation, adding: “And quite right too.

“And so that is already in place. I didn’t know anything about this investigation, and it absolutely needs to be looked into. So the Cabinet Office will be establishing the facts.”

But the science and technology secretary Liz Kendall has suggested the Cabinet Office’s probe will not be a formal inquiry.

The trade body for the PR industry, the Public Relations and Communications Association, is allegedly launching the official probe. 

“It’s absolutely right that the relevant regulatory body that covers public affairs is already investigating this. The Cabinet Office will be establishing the facts,” she told BBC Radio 4′s Today programme. “Establishing the facts is the first thing that you’ve got to do on anything, isn’t it? If you want to look into something properly, you have to be able to establish the facts.”

She added: “The freedom of the press, difficult though it is, is an essential part of the proper functioning of a parliamentary democracy, and that’s extremely important.”

No.10 has refused to offer further details on what the government’s process might look like but it is thought to be led by the Cabinet Office’s propriety and ethics team. 

The Downing Street spokesperson told reporters: “This relates to a Labour think tank and the dates precede this government and our minister’s appointment as a minister.”

“I’m somewhat limited in what I can say,” the representative added. “The Cabinet Office is looking into this to make sure the facts are established.”

But he added No.10 does have confidence in Simons as it stands.

What Has Josh Simons Said? 

He told The Sunday Times: “I was surprised and shocked to read the report extended beyond the contract by including unnecessary information on Gabriel Pogrund.

“I asked for this information to be removed before passing the report to GCHQ. No other British journalists were investigated in any document I or Labour Together ever received.”

How Have Other MPs Responded?

Multiple Labour MPs have criticised the government’s response.

Left-wing Labour MP, Richard Burgon, said: “I’m afraid this simply does not wash. The Cabinet Office is going to look into allegations involving a Cabinet Office minister?

“The Labour Party needs to start taking these allegations very seriously. That means an independent investigation.”

The Conservatives also called for an immediate investigation into Simons’ role in the probe. 

Conservative Party chair Kevin Hollinrake said: “Josh Simons must now recuse himself from his role as the minister with responsibility for inquiries policy while he is being investigated by the Cabinet Office.

“We must also see the terms of reference for the inquiry and know who is leading it.

“The Labour Party must also investigate and review its ongoing relationship with Labour Together in light of these very serious accusations.”

Liberal Democrat Cabinet Office spokesperson Lisa Smart said: “I’m appalled by reports of smear tactics by a party that promised to make politics cleaner than clean. It looks like the group that credits itself with getting Labour into government has carried out an outrageous attack on our independent free press.

“Josh Simons should temporarily step down as Cabinet Office minister while the investigation takes place to avoid any conflict of interest.”

Green Party leader Zack Polanski said: ‘Once again, our caretaker PM ‘didn’t know.’.

“We need to get to the bottom of this disturbing pattern of shady authoritarianism and the world of secret political funding.

“These disturbing stories are indicative of the kind of culture that continues to define this Labour government – and the rot goes right to the top. 

“Labour Together’s antics have been known for ages. As with Mandelson and Doyle, Starmer must have known. Come clean. Stop investigating and start acting.”

“The surveillance and smearing of journalists is another sign of our slide into briefcase authoritarianism: where protesters are thrown in jail without a jury trial, where digital ID is mandatory, and where our most personal health data is sold off to US tech giants.”