Why was a Labour campaign group spying on journalists?

Why was a Labour campaign group spying on journalists?

Author: Global February 16, 2026 Duration: 31:10

The Prime Minister has called for an investigation by the Cabinet Office into the campaign group Labour Together which helped get him into power. The think tank is accused of having dug up dirt on journalists investigating its use of political donations. Who signed off the dark arts smear campaign? And why are we just hearing about it now?

Later, is Trump’s attorney General part of that Epstein cover up? Why is she so resistant to getting to the bottom of the crimes it reveals?

The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/


Every weekday afternoon, Emily Maitlis, Jon Sopel, and Lewis Goodall gather to make sense of the noise. Their The News Agents isn't a simple bulletin; it's a conversation between three of the UK's most experienced journalists who have seen the machinery of government and media from the inside. This daily podcast from Global focuses on the forces shaping our world, dissecting the headlines from Westminster and beyond with a sharp eye for what really matters. You'll hear them pull apart political strategies, question the official narrative, and trace the connections between today's breaking story and its deeper roots. What sets this show apart is their collective tone-a blend of genuine expertise, natural scepticism, and the occasional necessary laugh at the absurdities of the news cycle. They provide context where others just provide clips, aiming to answer the persistent "why" behind the "what." Tuning into this podcast feels like getting a direct, unfiltered briefing from colleagues who know the landscape intimately, making the complex flow of daily events not just comprehensible but genuinely engaging. It’s analysis designed for anyone who wants to move past the soundbites.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The News Agents
Podcast Episodes
Crowdfunding your way to a World Cup final - The Sports Agents [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:06
Playing in front of a record 80,000 fans at Twickenham, captaining your country in a World Cup final and winning World Rugby’s Player of the Year… all in a day's work for Sophie De Goede.All that despite returning from a…
How bad are the Mandelson files for Keir Starmer? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:15
The release of the Mandelson files revealed that Keir Starmer pushed on with appointing Peter Mandelson as US ambassador despite warnings over his links to Epstein. The National Security Adviser, Jonathan Powell, called…
Is Iran beating Trump in his own war? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:39
Trump has made it clear he thinks it’s time to end the war with Iran. There’s only one problem: Iran is not so sure it wants to. By using cheap, fairly low tech drones it’s managed to strike cargo ships in the Strait of…
Is Trump running scared of his own war? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:03
In a zig-zagging, confused and at times weirdly low energy press conference from President Donald Trump last night, a remarkably new tone was struck on the conflict in Iran. Just hours earlier, his defence secretary Pete…
Is Trump blowing up the world economy - as well as Iran? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:01
For a Prime Minister obsessed with driving down the cost of living, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East is shaping up to be something of a nightmare. Oil prices have surged, the Bank of England is now expected to rai…
Live Q&A: Iran, Trump, and 'no d*ck energy' [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:33
Jon and Lewis are back to mark the end of a momentous week in geopolitics with a special live Q&A taking your questions.When will we know if the conflict in the Middle East has morphed into World War 3? Why has American…
18 months to live to Winter Paralympic history - The Sports Agents [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:38
When the Winter Paralympics get underway this weekend in Italy history will be made. Davy Zyw was diagnosed with motor neurone disease at the age of 30 and given 18 months to live… but he’s now 38 and he’s going to be th…
Has Starmer lost control of his cabinet over Trump and Iran? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:56
Much of the coverage of the Iran conflict this week has been trying to understand the British government’s position on America’s strikes. On Friday, Keir Starmer said that the UK would not allow American fighter jets hea…
Is Starmer ready to take on Trump? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:31
Trump is furious with Starmer over his delay in granting the US access to UK bases as part of their military operation against Iran . He's called the UK "very uncooperative" and says Starmer has ruined relationships, eve…
Has Trump just ended the 'Special Relationship'? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:55
You might think, just days into a major conflict in the Middle East, that Donald Trump and Keir Starmer would be speaking regularly, supporting each other, and coordinating among allies. That's how it normally works in t…