Prime Minister Orders Independent Ethics Investigation into Cabinet Office Minister
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has initiated a formal independent investigation into Cabinet Office Minister Josh Simons regarding serious allegations of falsely targeting journalists with accusations of connections to pro-Russian propaganda networks. The prime minister has directed his independent adviser on ministerial standards, Laurie Magnus, to conduct a thorough examination of Simons's conduct while he was leading the thinktank Labour Together.
Revelations of False Allegations Against Journalists
This decisive action follows explosive revelations published by the Guardian detailing how Simons, during his tenure at Labour Together, was involved in communications with British intelligence officials falsely claiming that journalists had links to Russian intelligence operations. Specifically, emails show Simons's team informed officials that a journalist was "living with" the daughter of a former adviser to Jeremy Corbyn, whom they described as "suspected of links to Russian intelligence."
Despite these serious allegations, investigations have found no evidence of Russian involvement or any illegal hacking activities related to the journalists' work. The accusations appear to have been fabricated as part of a broader strategy to discredit critical reporting.
Commissioning of Controversial PR Report
Simons faces mounting pressure over his decision to commission American PR firm APCO to investigate the "sourcing, funding and origin" of a November 2023 Sunday Times story that questioned £730,000 in undeclared donations to Labour Together. While Simons has recently claimed distress over APCO's report including unnecessary personal details about a journalist, emails reveal that weeks after receiving the report, he actively named the same journalist in communications with security officials, urging them to probe the article's sources.
Existing Ethics Inquiry and Political Fallout
Simons is already undergoing a separate departmental ethics inquiry conducted by the Cabinet Office's propriety and ethics team. However, this internal investigation has faced significant criticism due to Simons's ministerial position within the same department, creating apparent conflicts of interest. Some sources suggest Simons has already been cleared in this initial "fact-finding" inquiry, raising questions about what new evidence Laurie Magnus might uncover.
Political opponents have intensified calls for Simons's resignation or suspension. Conservative Party Chair Kevin Hollinrake demanded an independent investigation, stating emphatically that "the Cabinet Office cannot be left to mark its own homework." Liberal Democrats Cabinet Office spokesperson Lisa Smart criticized the government's ethical standards, noting "we were told this government would be cleaner than clean. Instead, we're stuck with cabinet ministers whose previous spin tactics literally involved reporting journalists to the intelligence agencies."
Despite the controversy, a Number 10 spokesperson maintained earlier this week that Prime Minister Starmer retains full confidence in Minister Simons while the independent investigation proceeds. The outcome of Laurie Magnus's examination will likely determine Simons's political future and test the Labour government's commitment to ministerial accountability.
