Cabinet Office minister Josh Simons has dramatically resigned amid a probe into claims a Labour think tank he once ran paid for an investigation to “smear” journalists.
Mr Simons said he was stepping down his role at the heart of Downing Street because he had “become a distraction from this government's important work”.
He was previously a director of Labour Together, succeeding Keir Starmer’s controversial former chief of staff Morgan McSweeney, and is facing accusations he employed a PR company to discredit reporters who were investigating party donations.
Mr Simons has always denied the allegations, claiming APCO had only been taken on to deal with a leak of confidential information from Labour Together, but demands for him to be sacked had increased.
His resignation is another blow for the embattled prime minister, and comes after Labour’s humiliating third place finish in the Gorton and Denton by-election, with MPs on the left of party using the probe into Mr Simons to exert further pressure.
Labour Together was at the centre of Sir Keir Starmer’s attempts to reclaim the Labour Party from Jeremy Corbyn and allies on the left.
Now left-wing Labour MPs Richard Burgon and John McDonnell have confirmed to The Independent that they have requested all documents relating to them from both the think tank and APCO.
Mr Simons had been cleared by ethics advisor Laurie Magnus but nevertheless said his continued place in the government was “a distraction”.
In his resignation letter, Mr Simons said: “I welcome that Sir Laurie Magnus has cleared me of breaching the Ministerial Code. It was important to me to complete this process to prove that I behaved with integrity and that my public statements have been truthful and honest.
“Nonetheless, it is clear that my remaining in office has now become a distraction from this government’s important work. For that reason, and with sadness and regret, I offer my resignation.”
He insisted that the work of journalists “sustains our democracy. With rigour and objectivity, they hold those in positions of power to account. In an age when trust in politics is low, anything perceived to be an attack on their integrity and independence deserves thorough investigation.”
But he added: “As I have said many times, I never sought to smear these newspaper reporters. I have not been able to go into detail on these claims while this investigation has been ongoing.”
Nevertheless, the resignation is unlikely to mean that the controversy will go away.
Labour MP Clive Lewis, one of the MPs who was believed to be targeted by Labour Together, warned that the failure to remove Mr Simons earlier reflected badly on a prime minister whose judgement is already being questioned.
He said: “Josh Simons should have resigned weeks ago. Failing that, he should have been dismissed. That he wasn’t speaks volumes.
“A prime minister who is serious about standards doesn’t wait for an ethics adviser to state the obvious. Sir Laurie Magnus has now concluded what many could see from the start: that a minister attempted to undermine and smear journalists for doing their job. Asking questions. Holding power to account.
“That is not a grey area. It is a basic test of democratic instinct.
“Instead of acting decisively, the prime minister chose to wait. He chose process over principle. And in doing so, he projected weakness where clarity was required.”
He added: “History rarely remembers the technicalities or the delays. It remembers whether leaders were prepared to make simple moral decisions when they mattered. The question now is why the prime minister felt unable to act himself, and why he needed cover to do what should have been done from the outset.”
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch also blasted Sir Keir for failing to sack Mr Simons and insisted there are still questions to answer.
She said: “Keir Starmer has used the conflict in the Middle East to sneak out yet another ministerial resignation. Another time he’s lacked the backbone to sack a minister who was obviously in the wrong.
“Josh Simons was in charge of a group that deliberately smeared journalists, even using a journalist’s Jewish faith to call him into question. Labour hasn’t changed.
“The ‘think tank’ Labour Together has donated or provided support to over 100 Labour MPs, including many of the cabinet. Their former staff members are in positions of influence across government, including serving as civil servants. Simons has resigned so it’s clear Labour Together is utterly finished as an organisation. Keir Starmer must tell us immediately if he will now end Labour Together’s links with his government and return the tainted money they’ve donated.”
The subject access request by a number of Labour MPs who were allied to Mr Corbyn is aimed at looking at the role of Labour Together in forcing him out and installing Sir Keir as leader.
Added to that the question marks over treatment of journalists came at a time when Sir Keir has been accused of trying to reduce press access in the Commons and to his government.
Since the new year his government cancelled one of the daily lobby press briefings and he has directed a number of the questions at press conferences to Labour friendly “social media influencers” instead of journalists.
Sir Keir thanked Mr Simon in his response to the resignation, adding: “As you note in your letter, freedom of the press is a cornerstone of our democracy. The government remains firmly committed to upholding and protecting that freedom. It is essential that journalists are able to carry out their work without fear or favour, including holding politicians of all parties to account on behalf of the public we serve.”
A Cabinet Office source added: “In stepping aside despite being cleared, Josh has shown he’s the type of person to take responsibility and put the long term direction of the government first. He'll not give up his energy in driving the party and this country forward."
Cabinet Office minister Josh Simons resigns over Labour Together ‘distraction’
Wales must shout louder, Plaid Cymru leader says
Burnham would ‘probably’ have won by-election, says Labour deputy leader
Starmer’s deputy tells him ‘be more like Andy Burnham’ as he fights to survive as PM
British planes ‘in the sky’ in Middle East to defend allies after US strikes on Iran
There is something else you should know about Hannah Spencer
