Apco

Apco is a US-based public affairs company that has recently become newsworthy due to its involvement in a controversy surrounding Labour Together, a UK thinktank instrumental in Keir Starmer's rise. A senior director at Apco, Tom Harper, authored a report in 2023 examining journalists who had written about undisclosed donations to Labour Together. This report has sparked controversy, leading to an investigation of Josh Simons, Labour Together's former director (now a minister), for commissioning the PR agency (Apco) to investigate these journalists. The investigation centers around allegations of smearing journalists and potential breaches of ministerial standards. The scandal highlights the intersection of politics, lobbying, and media scrutiny, raising questions about transparency and the ethical conduct of public figures and related organizations.