General · 7 February 2026
Minister Simons hired PR firm to probe journalists over £700,000 donations
Cabinet Office Minister Josh Simons commissioned lobbying firm APCO Worldwide in 2023 to investigate how reporters uncovered Labour Together's funding. The group failed to declare over £700,000 in donations, resulting in a £14,250 fine in September 2021. While leaked contracts show the firm aimed to identify journalists' sources for a Sunday Times article, Simons claims he only probed a "suspected illegal hack." The inquiry allegedly utilized journalist-turned-lobbyist Tom Harper.
Reported by BBC · How we write briefs