Labour MP Josh Simons resigns after ‘smear campaign’ probe

Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleMr Simons said he was stepping down because he had ‘become a distraction from this government's important work' (House of Commons)Labour MP Josh Simons has resigned, stating he had "become a distraction from this government's important work". His resignation follows an ethics probe into allegations that Labour Together, a think tank he previously directed, employed a PR company to "smear" journalists. Simons denies the allegations, asserting that the PR company, APCO, was hired to address a leak of confidential information from Labour Together, and he was cleared by ethics advisor Sir Laurie Magnus. The controversy has been used by Labour MPs on the left to pressure the Prime Minister, with some requesting documents related to Labour Together's activities. 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.”In fullLabour minister Josh Simons resigns after probe into smear campaign against journalistsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

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