Labour think tank commissioned firm ended up investigating

Published: 05 December 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online

A Labour‑aligned think tank has come under scrutiny after it emerged that a private firm it commissioned to conduct research subsequently investigated a journalist who had been reporting critically on its work. The incident has triggered questions about transparency, journalistic freedom, and the ethical use of private contractors by organisations with political affiliations.

According to sources familiar with the matter, the think tank engaged the firm to assist with background research on public policy issues, including media engagement and political communications. However, internal communications suggest the contract later expanded to include a review of reporting by a journalist whose coverage included critical examination of the think tank’s publications and influence.

The journalist, who has chosen to remain anonymous due to ongoing professional concerns, reported being contacted by representatives of the research firm with questions about their editorial decisions and sources. The approach raised alarm among press freedom advocates, who argue that commissioning external research with the implicit goal of scrutinising a reporter’s work blurs the line between legitimate research and intimidation.

Critics argue that think tanks — even those with clear political associations — must maintain ethical boundaries when engaging third parties, especially where the work could impact journalists’ independence. “When political‑aligned organisations involve external firms in matters related to media scrutiny, it undermines the foundational principles of an open press,” said a media ethics expert.

In response, the think tank issued a statement asserting that it did not task the firm with investigating individuals and that its intention was limited to understanding how specific media narratives were formed. “Our focus has always been on policy research and improving public discourse,” the statement read. “Any contact with journalists was part of a broader effort to understand how coverage of policy issues evolves, not to question the integrity of reporting.”

The private firm at the centre of the controversy confirmed it had communicated with the journalist but characterised the interaction as “standard background inquiries” related to its research brief. A spokesperson for the company said that its engagement with media professionals was conducted in accordance with professional norms and that it had not been instructed to assess the quality or ethics of the journalist’s work.

Nevertheless, concerns persist among press freedom groups, who argue that the situation reflects wider tensions between political organisations and media reporting. Some advocates have called for clearer boundaries and codes of conduct governing how think tanks and similar entities engage with journalists indirectly through commissioned research.

Opposition politicians have seized on the controversy, calling for greater transparency and accountability from think tanks that operate with political connections. A member of Parliament said, “Whether intended or not, the involvement of external firms in researching journalists sends a worrying message about how political bodies perceive and manage scrutiny.”

Meanwhile, representatives of the journalist have emphasised that freedom of the press must remain protected and that journalists should not become collateral in political or research agendas. “Journalists report in the public interest,” the representative said. “Efforts — direct or indirect — to probe their motivations or methodologies risk chilling open reporting.”

The episode has sparked debate across media and political circles about how think tanks should conduct external research and interact with the press. Many argue that while research into media influence is legitimate, it must be clearly separated from efforts that may be perceived as targeted examinations of individual journalists.

As scrutiny of the situation continues, both the think tank and the firm have promised cooperation with inquiries and a review of internal protocols relating to commissioning and briefing external contractors.

The controversy highlights broader questions about the intersection of politics, research, and media freedom — and the need for clear ethical guardrails in a landscape where independent journalism and political advocacy increasingly intersect.

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