A Guardian investigation revealed that CT Group, a lobbying firm co-founded by Lynton Crosby, a strategist for David Cameron and Boris Johnson, allegedly offered cash incentives to an undercover reporter to place favorable stories about clients in national newspapers. The firm denied the allegations, stating the events were mischaracterized and they did not pay the journalist.
This investigation raises significant concerns about the integrity of journalism and the potential for undisclosed corporate influence on public discourse through paid-for content disguised as independent reporting.
A Guardian investigation has revealed that CT Group, a prominent lobbying firm co-founded by Lynton Crosby, a former electoral strategist for David Cameron and Boris Johnson, has allegedly offered payment to journalists to write favorable stories for their clients in national newspapers. This practice appears to create a backdoor for companies to influence public opinion.
An undercover reporter was approached by CT Group lobbyists, including Gavin Stollar, head of its real estate division, who offered hundreds of pounds in cash incentives to place articles. Stollar hoped to generate pieces about the negative impact of the Building Safety Regulator on the housebuilding industry, suggesting it worsened the UK's housing shortage. He offered research and human case studies to support such a narrative.
Other CT Group staffers proposed paying the freelance journalist to write stories for newspapers as part of their work for a property guardianship company, Live-In Guardians. They indicated that payment would grant them more control over the content, with one lobbyist offering "£100 for every story that is successfully published (national or trade)". Suggestions included writing a "call to action from the industry" and keeping the client's messaging in mind, while avoiding overt advertorials.
One lobbyist admitted to having previously paid a journalist a retainer for a "certain national piece" where the journalist "never discloses to editors where she gets her sources from." Another lobbyist expressed discomfort with the arrangement, stating it seemed "a bit weird" and that CT Group would need to review the story before submission due to the payment. However, they also stated that the offer of direct payment could be taken "off the table" for a more traditional relationship.
CT Group, a company with an annual turnover of £40 million and 150 staff, has clients including Airbus Defence and Space, Philip Morris, and the owner of Manchester City football club. The firm issued a statement denying the allegations, calling them "deliberately mischaracterised" and asserting they did not engage the undercover journalist or pay him. They stated the journalist "chased us relentlessly" and affirmed they "never ask journalists to behave otherwise than in accordance with their professional and ethical standards."
The investigation, spanning over four months, involved discussions that touched on placing stories in publications like the Financial Times and The Guardian. When the reporter expressed discomfort about being paid without the newspaper's knowledge, a lobbyist suggested it would be difficult to get an editor to accept such a commissioned piece.