Labour MP Josh Simons has resigned from his role as a Cabinet Office minister after an investigation found he falsely linked journalists to a 'pro-Kremlin' network. The makerfield MP quit on Saturday, saying his position had become 'a distraction from this government's important work.'
The resignation follows revelations that Simons, while running the thinktank Labour Together, commissioned a PR firm to investigate journalists reporting on the group's undisclosed donations. Simons had previously claimed he was 'surprised' and 'furious' about the probe, but evidence showed he personally approved the contract.
The independent adviser on ministerial standards, Sir Laurie Magnus, concluded Simons had not breached the ministerial code but noted 'distraction and potential reputational damage' if he remained in government. Magnus highlighted a 'damaging' gap between Simons' public statements and the actual scope of the investigation he commissioned.
The £36,000 contract with lobbying firm APCO aimed to investigate a Sunday Times article about Labour Together's £730,000 in undeclared donations. It also targeted freelance journalist Paul Holden and American reporter Matt Taibbi, seeking to 'create narratives that would proactively undermine any future attacks.'
In a separate incident, Simons and his chief of staff emailed the National Cyber Security Centre, suggesting the Sunday Times story could be linked to a Russian disinformation campaign. They named journalists Gabriel Pogrund and Harry Yorke in the communication.
Labour Together chair Sally Morgan described the report's scope as 'indefensible' and said governance reforms are under way. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, accepting Simons' resignation, stressed the importance of journalists being able to work without fear.
