Opposition figures say the investigation appears to smear journalists and question the report’s claims about journalists’ backgrounds.

The Simons inquiry has been referred to the independent adviser on ministerial standards, Sir Laurie Magnus, after work by the Cabinet Office’s propriety and ethics team.

A Labour minister, Josh Simons, faces calls for dismissal amid Guardian claims he falsely accused journalists of Russian intelligence ties over coverage of Labour Together.

Labour Chief Secretary Darren Jones said the inquiry’s work is complete and the findings have been reported to the Prime Minister, who will act on Magnus’s conclusions.

Simons had publicly denied APCO’s investigation touched UK journalists, yet the contract indicates the probe covered the sourcing of a Sunday Times article and works by Holden and Taibbi, suggesting a link to those journalists.

The APCO report is said to contain information about multiple journalists, contradicting a government background brief that it only mentioned Gabriel Pogrund, raising questions about record accuracy.

Key voices stress press freedom as essential; some MPs condemn the actions as misconduct and surveillance of journalists, with calls for a broader inquiry into Labour Together and APCO’s activity.

Labour Together rejected the Guardian’s account of emails; a Simons ally said concerns about a hack are genuine and that blame lies with the PR firm, not Simons personally.

Cross-party calls for accountability include suspending Simons or launching independent inquiries, with critics highlighting alleged spin tactics involving journalists and intelligence channels.

Labour Together allegedly paid APCO £336,000 in 2023 to probe journalists who covered its funding disclosures, potentially aiming to discredit sources.

Labour Together was fined for late donation disclosures and has referred itself to the Electoral Commission, with prior donations surrounding MPs under scrutiny.

Simons previously commissioned APCO to probe two Sunday Times journalists and the sources of a 2023 piece; later findings linked undeclared donations to that piece, with Simons claiming the information came from a hack.