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Josh Simons resigns as minister after controversy over information gathered on journalists
Josh Simons resigned after controversy over hiring PR firm Apco to investigate journalists, despite being cleared of breaching the Ministerial Code by ethics adviser Sir Laurie Magnus.
- On Saturday, Josh Simons resigned, saying remaining in office had become a distraction, despite the Independent Adviser, Sir Laurie Magnus, finding no breach of the Ministerial Code.
- A probe was launched last week after Sir Keir Starmer asked his ethics adviser to examine whether Josh Simons broke the Ministerial Code, with Simons having commissioned Apco Worldwide to investigate journalists.
- Simons said he was disturbed by the report's scope, noting the Apco report delved into unnecessary personal information about one journalist, yet emails showed he named the same journalist to security officials weeks later, and he defended Apco's role investigating an alleged illegal hack.
- The ethics adviser advised the Prime Minister to consider reputational damage, as Sir Laurie Magnus said Simons acted `in good faith` and accepted the terms with Apco were `wider than he had understood`.
- The National revealed last year that the think tank hired private investigators to probe an author, following findings of 20 campaign law breaches by Labour Together and an Electoral Commission fine, underscoring past regulatory issues.
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41 Articles
41 Articles
Evening Standard+2 Reposted by 2 other sources
Cabinet Office minister Josh Simons resigns over Labour Together ‘distraction’
The Makerfield MP previously ran the prominent think tank.
·London, United Kingdom
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources41
Leaning Left7Leaning Right7Center18Last UpdatedBias Distribution56% Center
Bias Distribution
- 56% of the sources are Center
56% Center
L 22%
C 56%
R 22%
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