Labour think tank commissioned firm to investigate journalists, the BBC understands
BBC World
February 15, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
Labour Together, a Labour-affiliated think tank, has commissioned a firm to investigate journalists, raising concerns over privacy and press freedom. The group paid APCO Worldwide at least £30,000 to probe the sourcing, funding, and origins of a Sunday Times story about undeclared donations. This led to a report, codenamed "Operation Cannon," which delved into personal details of journalist Gabriel Pogrund, including his Jewish beliefs and alleged ideological positions. The report also claimed that Pogrund's reporting on the royal family could be seen as destabilizing and aligned with Russian interests.
Josh Simons, who commissioned the report while heading Labour Together, acknowledged that APCO exceeded the scope of the contract by including unnecessary information about Pogrund. Simons expressed surprise at the extent of the investigation and ordered sensitive details about Pogrund to be removed before sharing the redacted report with GCHQ. The report was initially intended to investigate potential hacking claims related to a story on undeclared donations but expanded into personal scrutiny of journalists, including Paul Holden and Matt Taibbi.
The controversy has sparked concerns among Labour MPs and press freedom advocates. Karl Turner, MP for East Hull, called for an independent inquiry, while John McDonnell, a former shadow chancellor, demanded transparency and accountability. Alison Phillips, CEO of Labour Together, emphasized the group's commitment to high standards of conduct but faced criticism over the ethics of the investigation. The incident highlights tensions between political strategy and journalistic integrity, with implications for privacy rights and press freedom in the UK.
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Originally published on BBC World on 2/15/2026