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Labour is facing criticism over spending £2.3 million of taxpayers' money on hiring influencers to promote Government policies since the election. Departments such as the Department for Education and HM Revenue & Customs have been particularly active, with the former spending £119,300 in the current financial year alone. Critics argue that this approach is a desperate attempt to cover up policy failures, while supporters claim it’s necessary to reach modern audiences effectively through social media platforms.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-16,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
The Labour government is facing criticism for spending £2.3 million of taxpayers' money on "influencer marketing" to promote its policies since the election. The Department for Education alone spent £119,300 in 2024/25 and nearly £600,000 in the following year, using high-profile figures like model Daisy Lowe and reality TV star Gemma Collins to advertise initiatives such as vocational education. While ministers argue that social media is essential for reaching the public today, critics accuse them of spending large sums on influencers to compensate for policy failures. Shadow Cabinet Office minister Mike Wood called it a "feeble attempt" by Labour to gain praise through paid promotions rather than effective governance.
Written for “Government Spending On Influencer Mar…” on 2026-09-17,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it -0.35, but every quote it verified points right, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 13775: score contradicts its own evidence · logged 2026-09-16
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Labour is under fire for spending more than £2million of taxpayers’ money on getting influencers to promote Government policies.
asserted
influencers → see → policies
Official figures show that 11 Whitehall departments and major public bodies have between them paid out £2.3m to online ‘content creators’ and agencies since the election.
asserted
departments → show → election
High-profile campaigns have included using model Daisy Lowe to advertise heat pumps and reality TV star Gemma Collins to discuss vocational education.
asserted
campaigns → include → education
Ministers insist they have to use social media platforms and personalities in order to reach the public these days.
asserted
they → insist → public
But Shadow Cabinet Office minister Mike Wood said: ‘The Government is spending hundreds of thousands of pounds of taxpayers’ money on influencers in a feeble attempt to cover for its failures.
asserted
Government → say → failures
‘It is becoming increasingly clear that if Labour want praise, they must pay for it.’
asserted
they → become → it
The Department for Education has spent the most on influencer marketing over the past two years, with £119,300 spent in 2024/25, £589,671 the following year and £10,000 so far in the current financial year.
asserted
Department → spend → year
It used 57 different influencers in ‘paid partnerships, public relations activity and content creation’ last year, promoting teacher training and nursery careers as well as skills training.
However it did not pay Ms Collins, who visited the departmental headquarters in May for a chat with then Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson that was promoted on social media.
uncertain
that → use → media
Reality TV star Gemma Collins meeting Labour minister Bridget Phillipson earlier this year
Reform UK’s Suella Braverman said: ‘While we have fewer teachers, special education needs in crisis and over 1 million young people not in education, training or employment.
asserted
we → meet → education
HM Revenue & Customs spent £591,200 on ‘social media influencer activity’ between July 2024 and August this year, and claimed it carried out ‘due diligence on potential influencers’ before using 44 of them in campaigns.
asserted
it → spend → campaigns
As of February this year the Cabinet Office had spent £365,331, using 22 influencers to ‘raise awareness about government schemes and initiatives and promote the UK internationally’.
asserted
Office → spend → UK
The figures - obtained by the Tories by tabling Parliamentary written questions and reported by Sky News on Wednesday – also show the Department for Transport spent £302,873.83 while the Department for Work and Pensions spent £212,425 and the Ministry of Justice £206,140.
asserted
Department → obtain → Justice
Transport Minister Justin Madders said in response to one of the questions: ‘Today’s media landscape is unrecognisable compared to even a decade ago, and the way the public receives information and communicates has changed drastically in this time.
asserted
public → say → time
‘The Government has a duty to engage with the public where they are, using channels and voices they trust to ensure all citizens can access government services, information and support - meeting audiences where they are.
asserted
they → have → audiences
‘Content Creators are paid fairly for their services, time and expertise in content creation.
asserted
Creators → pay → creation
Their work reaches people directly on the channels they use daily.
asserted
they → reach → channels
Without targeted campaigns, millions of citizens would miss out on services, rights, and support to which they are entitled.’
asserted
they → target → which
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