Labour MP Josh Simons has stepped down as a minister in the Cabinet Office, citing his role as a distraction from the government’s important tasks. Despite being cleared of breaching the Ministerial Code by Keir Starmer’s ethics adviser, Simons resigned amid pressure related to allegations involving the think tank Labour Together. The think tank, which he led before joining the government, reportedly paid PR firm Apco Worldwide over £30,000 to investigate journalists from various media outlets.

In his resignation letter to the Prime Minister, Simons expressed that his continued presence in office was detracting from the government’s crucial work and, therefore, he tendered his resignation with regret. The investigation by Apco was focused on examining the funding and origins of reporting on Labour Together’s failure to disclose donations exceeding £700,000. Following late reporting of donations between 2017 and 2020, the think tank was fined £14,250 in September 2021 after self-reporting to the Electoral Commission.

Despite his assertion that Apco was hired to investigate an alleged illegal hack, Simons later acknowledged that the terms of the agreement were broader than initially understood, leading to his hasty confirmation of their appointment. While ethics adviser Sir Laurie Magnus affirmed that Simons had acted in good faith, he noted the perceived discrepancy between Simons’ public statements and the actual scope of the investigation had caused harm.

Sir Laurie concluded that there was no evidence of a breach of the Ministerial Code by Simons but suggested the Prime Minister consider whether the minister’s continued presence in the government was warranted given the distraction and potential damage to reputation. The Prime Minister expressed sadness at accepting Simons’ resignation, acknowledging his contributions to the ministerial role. The PM noted that the Independent Adviser found no breach of the Ministerial Code and appreciated Simons’ cooperation during the investigation, recognizing the difficult decision Simons made to step down to prevent ongoing distractions from the government’s objectives.