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Labour's £36K Report Sparks Ethics Inquiry, Journalist Accusations

2/23/2026

Summary

Story summary

Tom Harper, a lobbyist for APCO, helped produce a Labour Together-commissioned report accusing Guardian journalist Henry Dyer of links to Russian intelligence.
Labour Together paid £36,000 for the investigation, prompting scrutiny of the group under Keir Starmer.
Josh Simons, who oversaw the investigation, faces calls for resignation and is under an ethics inquiry.
The affair raises concerns about tactics to silence journalism within the Labour Party and its political impact.

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Story summary

Tom Harper, a lobbyist for APCO, helped produce a Labour Together-commissioned report accusing Guardian journalist Henry Dyer of links to Russian intelligence.
Labour Together paid £36,000 for the investigation, prompting scrutiny of the group under Keir Starmer.
Josh Simons, who oversaw the investigation, faces calls for resignation and is under an ethics inquiry.
The affair raises concerns about tactics to silence journalism within the Labour Party and its political impact.