Keir Starmer forced to order inquiry into new Labour scandal | Politics | News
Keir Starmer faces another scandal (Image: Getty)
The Cabinet Office will “look into” claims that a Labor-linked think tank paid for an investigation into journalists, Liz Kendall said. Technology Minister Ms Kendall described press freedom as “essential” while taking criticism over Government Minister Josh Simons’ role at Labor Together, a think tank that backed Keir Starmer’s campaign to become Labor leader.
Labor Together hired PR firm APCO Worldwide to investigate reporters from The Sunday Times, The Guardian and other outlets after journalists investigated the think tank’s failure to declare donations of more than £700,000. At the time the think tank was run by Mr Simons, who is now a Labor MP for Makerfield and Government Minister. The Conservatives demanded Labor investigate the “alarming revelations”. The Sunday Times reported that APCO had been paid £36,000 to carry out the investigation in 2023.
Read more: Labor called to investigate ‘worrying revelations’ about think tank’s smear campaign
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Ms Kendall said: “We, personally and as the Government as a whole, absolutely value freedom of the press.
He later added: “It is right that this matter should be investigated by the relevant body here, the regulator that oversees public works companies.
“And the Cabinet Office will investigate this to ensure all the facts are established.”
Asked whether Mr Simons’ position as a minister in his department and also the Cabinet Office was “defensible”, Ms Kendall told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “He rightly welcomed the investigation being carried out by the regulator responsible for regulating public affairs.
“As I said, the Cabinet Office will also investigate the facts of this case, but it is absolutely essential that we protect press freedom.”
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APCO’s investigation resulted in a 58-page report containing details designed to discredit reporters investigating Labor Together’s campaign finance abuses, according to The Sunday Times.
The think tank was fined £14,250 (£730,000 in total between 2017 and 2020) in September 2021 for late reporting of donations after it referred itself to the Electoral Commission.
Ben Taylor, editor of The Sunday Times, told the BBC’s Today programme: “I would like some honesty from the people at Labor Together.”
He said senior figures associated with Labor Together, including ministers, “need to be honest about what their motivations are for this”. Mr Taylor continued: “But most importantly, why were our reporters around Westminster subjected to a whisper campaign about their motivations when the report arrived?”
