Josh Simons resigns over APCO row

Oliver Dean | 1st March 2026 | Lobbying, Policy & Think Tanks, Politics

Joshua Simons was an integral part of the Labour Together movement
(Joshua Simons ©House of Commons/Roger Harris) — Joshua Simons was an integral part of the Labour Together movement (Joshua Simons ©House of Commons/Roger Harris)

The former Cabinet Office Minister resigned after pressure mounted on him following allegations of his conduct whilst a senior figure at Labour Together

Josh Simons resigned as a Cabinet Office minister on Saturday after controversy over allegations that a think tank he formerly led paid a PR firm to investigate journalists who had reported critically on it. Simons stepped down after the Prime Minister's Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards, Sir Laurie Magnus, concluded his inquiry. Although Magnus found no breach of the Ministerial Code, he noted the "distraction and potential reputational damage" caused and said Sir Keir would "wish to consider" whether Simons still held his confidence. In a letter to the Prime Minister Simons said he had "become a distraction from this Government's important work" and had therefore resigned. Starmer accepted the decision "with sadness," placing on record the ethics adviser's clearance and thanking Simons for his service. The core of the problem is Labour Together, an influential think tank Simons ran before entering parliament at the 2024 general election. The organisation, which was pivotal...

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