Breaking History Eli Lake and David Rose: The UK Censorship Machine Eats Itself
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May 1, 2026 
David Rose, director of policy and research at the UK Free Speech Union and veteran investigative journalist, unpacks a secret intelligence-style ecosystem in British politics. He discusses a shadowy APCO report, how dossiers circulated to GCHQ and Downing Street, and the blurring lines between political advocacy, disinformation labels, and digital hate rules.
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Think Tank Commissioned Baseless Russian Allegations
- Labour Together commissioned a secret APCO report that accused journalists of being Russian assets without evidence.
- David Rose obtained the contract and draft report showing the think tank passed those allegations to GCHQ and Downing Street.
UK Censorship Network Has A Transatlantic Reach
- The anti-disinformation network in the UK overlaps transatlantic actors like Imran Ahmed and CCDH, who influence censorship policy.
- Rose warns their agenda could reshape US regulation if Democrats regain power.
Christopher Steele's Private Intel Fuels Repeated False Claims
- Christopher Steele resurfaces across UK anti-disinformation networks despite producing unreliable dossiers.
- Rose links Steele's private-intel role to recurring false accusations that poison public debate.