The State of It: Gabriel Pogrund speaks out on the Labour Together scandal

The State of It: Gabriel Pogrund speaks out on the Labour Together scandal

Author: The Times February 17, 2026 Duration: 40:12

The Labour Together scandal is the latest storm threatening to capsize the government - and Gabriel has been right at the heart. For the first time, he describes what happened when a Labour think tank set private investigators on a journalist. Their secret report falsely accused Gabriel of acting as a Russian agitator and "grotesquely subverted" his faith in an attack on his and his colleagues' reporting in The Sunday Times.


This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestory


Hosts: 

  • Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times
  • Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall editor, The Sunday Times

Producer: Euan Dawtrey.

Executive Producer: Dan Box.

We want to hear from you - email: thestory@thetimes.com


Further listening: ‘This is dark s***’: inside the political smear campaign to discredit journalists

Photo: Getty Images.

This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


Each morning, The Story arrives with a clear purpose: to move beyond the headlines and explore the forces and people shaping our world. Guided by the experienced reporting of Manveen Rana and Luke Jones, this daily podcast from The Times delves into the most significant political developments and news events with a level of depth and context that only their global network of journalists can provide. You’ll hear more than just summaries; you’ll get a nuanced understanding of why a story matters, who it impacts, and what might happen next. The analysis is sharp and the storytelling is compelling, designed to fit into your morning routine seven days a week. It’s a direct line to the frontline reporting and editorial expertise of one of the world’s most respected news organizations. This consistent, in-depth approach makes the podcast a reliable resource for anyone looking to truly comprehend the day’s events. Supported by readers of The Times and The Sunday Times, the production maintains a commitment to journalistic integrity and thorough exploration, ensuring every episode provides substance and clarity.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 108

The Story
Podcast Episodes
The psychological effects of a world without touch [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:55
The British are not known as tactile people, a firm handshake will do while our continental neighbours embrace with hugs and kisses, but is that really the whole picture? And what has the lockdown induced separation done…
The truth behind Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe's imprisonment in Iran [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:20
Could an unpaid British debt be the reason Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been held by Iran for the past five years?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subsc…
Times cartoonist Peter Brookes: A life in ink [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:57
Cartoonist Peter Brookes looks back on some of the more memorable images of his almost 30 years at The Times, and walks us through his creative process.Click here to see the cartoons discussed in this episode.Guest: Pete…
2020: An extraordinary year in Westminster [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:11
All this week we look back at the biggest stories of the last twelve months. Today: We ask Matt Chorley and Esther Webber to assess the standout moments from the most eventful political year in living memory.This podcast…
2020: The year that changed everything in the USA [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:19
2020 has been quite the year for all of us, but it has been especially tumultuous in the United States. From the coronavirus pandemic to the Black Lives Matter movement to the election, the year has been full of emotiona…
Tom Whipple’s year in Covid: from Wuhan to lockdown to vaccine [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:15
All this week we look back at the biggest stories of the year. Today: Coronavirus. How should we separate the science from the conspiracy theories? What have we actually learnt about the virus? And is there now light at…
In a Covid year, why sport matters [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:52
Former table tennis player, Matthew Syed, visits a club in Brighton which gets funding from Sported, one of the charities the Times and Sunday Times is raising money for in its Christmas Appeal.This episode is in support…
Wrapped up in books: What to read this Christmas [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:40
David Aaronovitch sits down with Times Radio breakfast show host Stig Abell to share some of their most cherished festive page turners.This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The…
Times Investigation: The tax enforcers chasing penniless families [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:57
An investigation by the Times has found that HMRC, the UK’s authority responsible for the collection of taxes used private debt collection companies and letters accusing people left penniless by the pandemic of deliberat…
The true price of gold: Inside Ghana's illegal mines [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:21
A Sunday Times investigation reveals a shady supply chain stretching from west Africa’s hazardous gold mines through Dubai and on to Europe. Who are the people who work on the illegal mines and what can we do as consumer…