A recent report suggests that the British Prime Minister’s inner circle had some awareness of the activities related to the controversial media suppression group, Labor Communities, which raises concerns about the Prime Minister’s own knowledge.
Labor Together, a left-leaning globalist organization, claims to have reformed its practices. After facing a series of scandals, it has rebranded as ThinkLabour, and has briefed key colleagues of Sir Keir Starmer regarding its activities. Figures like Morgan McSweeney, who became chief of staff after Starmer assumed leadership, and Paul Ovenden, the head of strategy, are reported to have participated in efforts to investigate and discredit journalists not aligned with center-left globalism.
Previous reports indicated that Labor Together used undisclosed funds to create a fake campaign group aimed at attacking “unconformist media and free speech.” This included targeting both left-wing and right-wing news outlets, such as Breitbart News, that did not support Starmer’s takeover. An external firm, Apco Worldwide, was reportedly paid over £30,000 to probe into Labor Together in 2023, specifically looking into the backgrounds of journalists who uncovered hidden donations, labeling them as “persons of interest.”
An internal report from Apco accused journalists of undermining the UK and advancing Russia’s foreign policy objectives and claimed they were part of a network promoting pro-Russian propaganda. It seems that the assessment of whether journalists are destabilizing the country depended on whether they opposed the Keir Starmer-led effort to revitalize the Labor Party after Jeremy Corbyn, with allegations of a coordinated attempt to discredit Starmer.
One alarming claim involved a pro-Russian journalist with ties to outlets like the Guardian and Times. The group allegedly provided documents suggesting profiting from Russia’s hacking of UK government computers to the country’s intelligence agencies, hinting at an intention to use state security to silence political dissenters through possibly baseless accusations.
The report quotes Paul Holden, one of the targeted journalists, remarking that these documents reveal how in-depth the investigation into him and his associates was—a collaborative effort between Labor Together, Apco, and top Labor Party officials. He deemed this an egregious attack on investigative journalism.
Labor Together was established by Morgan McSweeney, often referred to as a significant non-elected figure in British politics. He and others were reportedly included in emails about this clandestine surveillance and whistleblowing initiative.
McSweeney stepped down from his prominent role earlier this year amidst rising scrutiny over scandals involving figures like Peter Mandelson and Jeffrey Epstein. He later testified before a parliamentary committee, attempting to distance himself from any wrongdoing.
Former Labor Together chief Josh Symonds made headlines again after resigning from parliament, leading to a by-election that allowed Andy Burnham, a challenger for Labor leadership, to run. He expressed astonishment over the extent of Apco’s invasive tactics, suggesting they went well beyond their original brief.
The report implies that these latest revelations cast doubt on Starmer’s knowledge of the situation, as McSweeney chose not to comment directly.
Now rebranded as ThinkLabour, the group has a new director, Alison Phillips, who was the former editor of a left-wing tabloid. Phillips recently discussed the rebranding, asserting that the organization played a crucial role in supporting Labor during the last election while acknowledging that its activities sparked controversy.
Though Phillips expressed being “shocked” by the occurrences, she emphasized the continued importance of the organization’s mission. “Our country is facing serious challenges, and the Labor Party is in crisis. We must confront the rampant dangers of populism from both sides,” she said, stressing that they will not remain passive in their policy approach.
