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Labour MP Josh Simons has stepped down from his role as a Cabinet Office minister shortly after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer initiated an ethics inquiry into his conduct. The controversy arose following reports that a think tank previously led by Simons commissioned a report examining the backgrounds of certain journalists. This report, conducted by the US public affairs company APCO Worldwide, reportedly delved into personal and ideological details of journalists from outlets such as The Guardian and The Sunday Times.
In a message posted on X, Simons explained his decision to resign by stating he had become “a distraction from this government’s important work.” Sir Keir Starmer responded by accepting the resignation “with sadness” and noted that ethics adviser Sir Laurie Magnus had concluded there was no breach of the ministerial code by Simons. Alongside his acceptance, the Prime Minister expressed his appreciation for Simons’s dedication and energy during his ministerial tenure.
The disputed report, commissioned by Labour Together—an organisation credited with supporting Sir Keir’s leadership campaign—reportedly cost at least £30,000. It aimed to “investigate the sourcing, funding and origins” of a Sunday Times article concerning undeclared donations linked to the think tank ahead of the 2024 election. According to sources familiar with the APCO report, which the BBC has not seen in full, the document included sensitive information, such as Gabriel Pogrund’s Jewish faith and assessments questioning his ideological stance. The report further suggested that some of Pogrund’s previous reporting might serve interests aligned with Russian strategic objectives. The investigation also covered journalists Paul Holden and Matt Taibbi.
The fallout from the revelations was swift. Paul Holden condemned Simons’s actions on Saturday, declaring that he “doesn’t deserve to be an MP, let alone a cabinet minister,” and vowed to seek accountability within parliamentary structures. Simons acknowledged that the research company had exceeded its original mandate. Ethics adviser Sir Laurie Magnus, referencing a letter to the Prime Minister, indicated that Simons accepted the agreed terms with APCO Worldwide were broader than initially understood and admitted to acting too quickly in confirming the firm’s appointment. Although Simons was found to have acted in good faith, he recognised the damage caused by the perceived discrepancy between his public statements and the fuller scope of the report.
Within Labour, more than 20 MPs demanded a fully independent inquiry into the matter. Supporters of Simons told the BBC that while he regrets the incident, responsibility primarily rests with APCO Worldwide, which has yet to acknowledge its role. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch criticised Sir Keir for allegedly using current Middle East conflicts as a distraction amid the resignation. She accused Simons’s group of deliberately smearing journalists, including exploiting a journalist’s religious background, and called for Sir Keir to sever Labour Together’s connections with his government and return the donations involved. Alison Phillips, who became Labour Together’s chief executive in 2025, labelled the scope of APCO’s work as “indefensible” and emphasised that the organisation, now under new leadership, aims to learn from these events
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