Josh Simons resigns as Cabinet Office minister amid investigation

MP for Makerfield and former director of Labour Together Josh Simons has resigned as a Cabinet Office minister.

Simons had faced allegations that Labour Together commissioned a report into the background of several journalists, falsely linking them to pro-Russian propaganda.

In a post on social media, Simons said while the Independent Advisor on Ministerial Standards had cleared him of wrongdoing, “remaining in office has become a distraction, so I have resigned from government”.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, he defended Labour Together and said: “While CEO, I had the privilege of working with talented people who are now ministers, MPs and advisers. My team was an energetic and curious group, doing our best to help get a Labour government elected and prepare for government.”

He added: “I will continue serving the people I am proud to represent in Makerfield, and I will continue to support your government in pursuit of the radical change our politics and our country needs.”

The Independent Advisor on Ministerial Standards has cleared me of breaching the ministerial code.

But with regret, remaining in office has become a distraction, so I have resigned from government.

I will continue serving the people I’m proud to represent in Makerfield and… pic.twitter.com/qxbf8LKguS

— Josh Simons MP (@joshsimonsmp) February 28, 2026

Labour Together CEO Alison Phillips said: “This has been a difficult period for everyone connected to Labour Together.

“We were shocked by revelations about the work undertaken on behalf of the organisation more than two years ago, and have cooperated with appropriate inquiries, including that undertaken by the Cabinet Office. Journalists should not have been investigated.

“The organisation is under new leadership, and we are determined to act to the highest standards of transparency and integrity in the work we do. We are improving our governance arrangements and will learn the necessary lessons of the past.

“Labour Together has undertaken great work in the past and played a crucial role in achieving a historic victory for the party in 2024. But we are now in a new phase and working out how best as an organisation we can support the party in government working to deliver a better, fairer and more equal Britain.

“This exercise will involve engagement across the party and listening closely to others to ensure our work is collaborative, inclusive, and useful.

“From this, we will create a plan to support innovative Labour thinking in key policy areas as we move towards the next general election.”

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