REGULATORY · UK
UK Cabinet Office minister Josh Simons resigns following scrutiny over emails linking journalists to a ‘pro-Kremlin’ network
Change
Labour Cabinet Office minister Josh Simons resigned from the UK government on Saturday after reporting revealed he had emailed the National Cyber Security Centre naming journalists and suggesting their story could be linked to a Russian disinformation campaign.
Why Now
Simons quit his government post, saying his position had become “a distraction from this government’s important work.” The controversy centered on Labour Together’s commissioning of the lobbying and public affairs agency APCO to investigate journalists reporting on undisclosed political donations. After reporting that APCO’s report included baseless allegations about a journalist’s faith and personal background, Simons had said he was “surprised and shocked” that the report extended beyond the contract. The Guardian then reported that Simons and his chief of staff emailed the NCSC after the APCO report, naming two journalists and suggesting their story could be linked to a Russian disinformation campaign. Simons had also faced a formal investigation by Sir Laurie Magnus, who found no ministerial code breach but cited distraction and reputational considerations.
Impact
- • Simons no longer holds the Cabinet Office minister role.
- • The prime minister’s independent adviser’s conclusion stands: no breach of the ministerial c
Who Recalculates
- • UK Cabinet Office ministers and ministerial appointments
- • Prime minister’s independent adviser on ministerial stan
- • Journalists referenced in the APCO report and related em
- • Government security/cyber bodies receiving ministerial c
Source
Topics
World & Politics Governance Law & Public Safety Compliance Politics