A Labour minister accused of paying a PR firm to smear journalists has resigned, saying he had 'become a distraction from this Government's important work'. In his resignation letter to the Prime Minister, Mr Simons said: 'It is clear that my remaining in office has now become a distraction from this Government's important work. Mr Simons, who is also Labour MP for Makerfield, has previously dismissed claims he commissioned it as 'nonsense'. Josh Simons (pictured) has resigned as a Cabinet Office minister, saying he had 'become a distraction from this Government's important work'Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in September last year. Mr Simons was earlier reported to have accidentally messaged details of his case to a WhatsApp group of Labour MPs.

Source: Daily Mail February 28, 2026 22:12 UTC