Labour Together and APCO Worldwide: Cabinet Office Review Debate

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Department: Cabinet Office

Labour Together and APCO Worldwide: Cabinet Office Review

Apsana Begum Excerpts
Monday 23rd February 2026

(1 day, 11 hours ago)

Commons Chamber
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Apsana Begum Portrait Apsana Begum (Poplar and Limehouse) (Lab)
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The severity of the allegations against Labour Together cannot go unaddressed. The Minister says of the referral to the independent adviser that it would then be for the Prime Minister to decide, but given that the Prime Minister’s own Labour leadership campaign in 2020 was supported by Labour Together, does the Minister feel that that would be appropriate? And what of the allegations against Labour Together beyond the role of the one Cabinet Office Minister? Who will investigate those allegations? As the Minister referred some weeks ago to a spirit of transparency and accountability following what we have heard of the role of Peter Mandelson, does he not want to see transparency and accountability more widely on the allegations around Labour Together?

Darren Jones Portrait Darren Jones
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My hon. Friend’s question on transparency is answered by the fact that the independent adviser’s conclusions and advice to the Prime Minister will be published in the normal way, and they will be available for the public and this House to see. On whether the Prime Minister is the appropriate person to decide, as he is the only person, constitutionally, who advises His Majesty the King on which Ministers to appoint or dismiss in the circumstances set out, it is right for the Prime Minister to come to that judgment.