London PR firm rewrites Wikipedia for governments and billionaires— Founded by Keir Starmer’s comms chief, Portland helps rich clients ‘protect their reputation’ – with a shady, off-the-books service

An investigation by The Bureau of Investigative Journalism reveals that Portland Communications, a London PR firm with ties to Downing Street, has been involved in a shady practice of rewriting Wikipedia pages for its wealthy and powerful clients. These edits, known as 'wikilaundering,' aim to protect the reputations of these clients by manipulating public perception. The firm has been caught before for this practice, which breaches the British PR professional code of conduct, but continues to employ subcontractors to carry out these illicit edits. These edits have included burying negative press, promoting certain narratives, and obscuring critical reporting. The investigation highlights the vulnerability of Wikipedia to such manipulation and the need for stronger measures to protect its integrity.