A Labour minister who quit over a journalism smear scandal has said he was ‘honest and truthful’ but resigned because he was a ‘distraction’ for the government.
Josh Simons, who served in the Cabinet Office, had faced calls to step down over the controversy at the thinktank he used to run before he entered parliament.
The MP for Makerfield, in Wigan, eventually quit on February 28 over claims the organisation once commissioned a report looking into journalists’ backgrounds.
Labour Together paid Washington-based PR firm APCO Worldwide at least £30,000 for the research ahead of the 2024 election.
It asked the communications experts to ‘investigate the sourcing, funding and origins’ of a Sunday Times story about undeclared donations at the thinktank.
Mr Simons has previously said he ‘never sought to smear’ the reporters investigated.
But he has now told the BBC, in his first full interview since stepping down, that ‘there’s a lot I’ve learned from it’.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer launched an ethics investigation before Mr Simons announced his resignation from his ministerial post.
Josh Simons (pictured, in his first full interview since stepping down), who served in the Cabinet Office, had faced calls to step down over the controversy at the thinktank he used to run before he entered parliament
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (pictured, in September last year) launched an ethics investigation before Mr Simons announced his resignation from his ministerial post
The PM’s ethics adviser, Sir Laurie Magnus, later concluded he had not breached any rules.
But Mr Simons said he quit regardless so as not to be a ‘distraction’ for the government: ‘I was being honest and truthful.
‘But it’s still the case that I gave the impression that that’s what I’d intended, even though it wasn’t.
‘And actually, I think it was right for me to take responsibility for that, to say, look, I’m so sorry this happened.’
Sir Keir accepted his resignation ‘with sadness’ and thanked him ‘for the commitment, focus, and energy you have brought to ministerial office’.
The ex-minister said he was ‘concerned’ when the initial news report came out that it featured confidential information.
He said he feared these aspects of the article might have been obtained by hacking the Electoral Commission, the independent body which oversees British elections.
Mr Simons said he was also worried the information might be used to ‘retell the story’ of the antisemitism crisis at Labour Together and ‘downplay it’.
APCO Worldwide’s report included points about journalist Gabriel Pogrund’s Jewish beliefs and claims about his ideological position.
Sources have said it also claimed his previous reporting, including on the Royal Family, could be seen as ‘destabilising’ to Britain.
The insiders also said the document asserted Mr Pogrund’s previous work could also be perceived as serving Russian foreign policy objectives.
Mr Simons, 32, has previously insisted the firm’s report ended up being beyond the scope of what Labour Together originally requested.
‘I was naive,’ he has now admitted. ‘There are things I would have done differently.’
The former minister said he approached APCO after the article came out due to what he was told their solid international reputation.
He said he had also been informed the company could find out if material featuring in the news story was on the dark web and why it was used by journalists.
In his resignation letter to the PM last month, Mr Simons said: ‘It is clear that my remaining in office has now become a distraction from this Government’s important work.
The MP (pictured) for Makerfield, in Wigan, eventually quit on February 28 over claims Labour Together once commissioned a report looking into journalists’ backgrounds
‘For that reason, and with sadness and regret, I offer my resignation.’
He added: ‘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.’
Sir Keir said in his reply: ‘In accepting your resignation, I also want to place on record that the Independent Adviser, Sir Laurie Magnus, found no breach of the Ministerial Code.
‘I am grateful for your full and proactive cooperation throughout his work.
‘I understand that, to avoid any ongoing distraction from delivering the Government’s mission, you have taken the difficult decision to step aside.
‘I respect that decision, and I look forward to continuing to work with you in driving forward the Government’s priorities.’
In previous statements, Mr Simons said APCO was hired to investigate an illegal hack.
But in a letter to the PM, Sir Laurie said the former minister now accepted the terms he agreed with the firm were ‘wider than he had understood’.
The ethics adviser also said Mr Simons had moved ‘too hastily in confirming their appointment’, though he acted ‘in good faith’.
He said the MP acknowledged the ‘perceived gap between his public statements and what he now accepts appears to be a more extensive scope has been damaging’.
Sir Laurie added: ‘I see no basis for advising you of any breach of the Ministerial Code by Mr Simons but you will wish to consider, in the light of this distraction and potential reputational damage, whether he continues to hold your confidence as a member of your Government.’
In a blistering response, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch accused the PM of having ‘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.’
She added: ‘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.’
Shadow Cabinet Office minister Alex Burghart said Sir Keir should have sacked Mr Simons earlier.
In a post on X, he said: ‘The Prime Minister should have sacked him last week – it was clear as day that he had done wrong.
‘Labour waited to refer the case to the Independent Adviser to delay judgement until after the by-election (fat lot of good that did).
‘Need full investigation into Labour Together now.’
