NEW LEADERSHIP UNVEILS THINKLABOUR — A STRATEGIC POWERHOUSE TO DRIVE BOLD IDEAS AND HELP LABOUR WIN AGAIN

• New leadership sets a decisive new direction for the organisation formerly known as Labour Together

• Major new analysis on rebuilding Labour’s electoral coalition published tomorrow (Friday)

ThinkLabour launches today as a new strategic force inside the Labour movement, dedicated to generating the bold ideas, political strategy and public insight needed for Labour to govern confidently and win the next General Election.

Under new leadership, ThinkLabour will bring together policy expertise, political strategy, public opinion research and high‑impact communications to help shape a coherent, popular and radical governing programme.

Replacing Labour Together, ThinkLabour will operate with a sharper mission, a more outward‑facing approach, and a renewed focus on big strategic choices that will define Labour’s path back to power.

ThinkLabour Chief Executive Alison Phillips said: “This is a moment of national challenge and Labour must rise to it with confidence and ambition. The country does not need caution — it needs a Labour movement ready to lead, change Britain, and make the tough choices that come with governing.

“ThinkLabour will bring forward bold, innovative ideas and the honest analysis required to build a hopeful, deliverable vision for the future. We will work openly and collaboratively across the movement and beyond to shape the next era of centre‑left leadership.”

A new board will be chaired by Lord Nick Forbes, the former leader of Newcastle City Council. New board members will be appointed in the coming months with existing members having stepped down to mark the creation of the new organisation.

Lord Forbes said: “This organisation is under new leadership, with a new mission and a new energy. We will work openly with all who share our purpose. Labour Together played an important role in supporting Labour’s 2024 landslide. But this is a new moment — and it demands a new approach. ThinkLabour will help Labour win again and govern Well.”

Tomorrow (Friday), ThinkLabour publishes “Who is Labour For?”, a major new analysis of the electoral coalition Labour must assemble to win the next General Election, following last week’s elections across the UK’s devolved Parliaments and English local councils.

ENDS

For more information and interview requests contact Charlie Stevens on [email protected] or 07903134220 or [email protected] 

Notes:

• The new ThinkLabour website will go live on www.thinklabour.co.uk and will be communicating via social media channels using the @ThinkLabour handles.

• Baroness Sally Morgan, who chaired the Labour Together board, will join a new organisation’s Political Advisory Group (PAG) to be announced next week. PAG will provide strategic thinking and insight to support ThinkLabour’s work.

• Lord Jonathan Kestanbaum, Fran Perrin and Will Somerville have stepped down as members of the Labour Together Board with Mike Craven remaining on the new board chaired by Lord Forbes.

In a statement, Labour Together CEO, Alison Phillips said:

“Labour Together has now released material held in response to Data Subject Access Requests submitted by 50 people. Some of this relates to the work carried out by APCO for the organisation in late 2023.  Included in the requests received were 16 from MPs.

“The information released relates to personal information of the individual requestor so we are not able to publish this more widely without their permission. Given recent Parliamentary comment, however, I can reiterate there is no evidence that exists to suggest Labour Together or any contractors have ever undertaken any investigation of MPs. 

“I remain shocked about the work undertaken by APCO in 2023 for Labour Together. While we remain committed to our responsibilities that follow from this process, it does not reflect and represent what this organisation stands for and how it operates today under my leadership. 

“Later this week we will unveil a new strategy and new name to reflect the changes the organisation has undergone to ensure we are at the heart of the big thinking required for Labour to govern well and win again.”

13.05.2026

Baroness Sally Morgan, Chair of the Labour Together board, said:

"The board of Labour Together has waited until the conclusion of the inquiry by Sir Laurie Magnus, the Prime Minister's Independent Adviser on Ministers' Interests, before making a public statement."

"Over the past couple of weeks, the board and chief executive have been carefully reviewing all relevant material. The scope of the work carried out by APCO, commissioned by the then Director of Labour Together, was indefensible. The board was not shown the contract with APCO. Nor was the APCO report shared with the board."

"I took over as Chair of the board in September 2024, and since that time, we have instituted several improvements to our operations following a governance review. Much has already changed, including establishing an Audit & Risk committee, a Whistleblower policy and fostering a more open and accountable culture. But we must do more. We are committed to operating at the highest standards of integrity and transparency at all times, and a forthcoming external audit will examine further possible improvements."

"Three months ago, Alison Phillips was appointed as our new CEO, and I am delighted to have her leading us as we look to the future. Alison has already begun a radical reshaping of Labour Together to ensure it makes a clean break from the past while continuing to support Labour in power. We are determined to ensure we have an organisation which reaches out across the party with a broad base of engagement and support."

"We are committed to supporting Labour in the run-up to the next General Election. Our mission is to help Labour deliver for the people of Britain and to develop a compelling and winning Labour programme for the next decade.

In a statement, Labour Together CEO Alison Phillips said:

“This has been a difficult period for everyone connected to Labour Together."

“We were shocked by revelations about the work undertaken on behalf of the organisation more than two years ago, and have cooperated with appropriate inquiries, including that undertaken by the Cabinet Office. Journalists should not have been investigated."

“The organisation is under new leadership, and we are determined to act to the highest standards of transparency and integrity in the work we do. We are improving our governance arrangements and will learn the necessary lessons of the past."

"Labour Together has undertaken great work in the past and played a crucial role in achieving a historic victory for the party in 2024. But we are now in a new phase and working out how best as an organisation we can support the party in government working to deliver a better, fairer and more equal Britain."

"This exercise will involve engagement across the party and listening closely to others to ensure our work is collaborative, inclusive, and useful."

“From this, we will create a plan to support innovative Labour thinking in key policy areas as we move towards the next General Election.”

Response to media reports of Labour Together using NDAs 

Historically,  Labour Together has used settlement agreements on a handful of occasions for departing employees.  Our standard agreement accords with ACAS guidelines and expressly confirms that nothing in the terms of the agreement precludes an employee from making a protected disclosure, or disclosing information to a regulator, law enforcement agency or in connection with criminal proceedings.

Message from Alison Phillips, CEO of Labour Together, following recent media reports, endorsed by the Labour Together board.

“I joined Labour Together as CEO three months ago to work alongside the team with the ambition of helping Labour make lives better for people across Britain.

The allegations of recent days have been shocking to read and deeply concerning for the entire team.

As a former journalist and editor, it should come as no surprise that I was horrified that investigators hired by Labour Together would look into the background and sources of reporters.

We will help with any appropriate inquiry into what may have happened in the past and, where there are lessons to be learned from what happened more than two years ago, we will do so.

But our focus must now be on the future.

This is an organisation under new leadership intent on supporting Labour by building relationships across the party and by creating practical policy solutions which improve lives.

I am already incredibly proud of the work we do here. And we are committed to doing that work with openness, transparency and integrity.”