Cabinet Office minister Josh Simons has resigned following the completion of a probe by the prime minister's independent ethics adviser that found he did not breach the ministerial code.
Keir Starmer asked Sir Laurie Magnus, his adviser on ministerial interests, to investigate whether Simons breached the ministerial code over his role in allegations surrounding the think tank that he used to lead.
Simons, who was a minister at the Cabinet Office and Department for Science, Innovation and Technology with responsibility for the introduction of Digital ID, has been accused of asking public affairs firm APCO Worldwide to investigate journalists writing about Labour Together while he was head of the think tank.
Simons said APCO Worldwide had "gone beyond" what it had been asked to do when it pursued "unnecessary" personal information about Sunday Times journalist Gabriel Pogrund. The PR company had agreed to look at "the sourcing, funding and origins" of reporting by the newspaper about the think tank's failure to declare political donations. The Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and Reform UK had all called for Simons to resign over the issue.
In a letter to Starmer setting out his findings, Magnus said decisions made by ministers prior to their appointment "generally fall outside the ambit of the ministerial code, but clearly can have relevance if a minister is diverted from their ministerial duties in order to respond to the controversy associated with such decisions".
He also noted that it is "relevant where you and other ministerial colleagues become obliged to defend the minister's qualification for public office, drawing public attention away from the presentation of government policies and potentially damaging the overall reputation of your government".
Magnus said he saw "no basis" for advising that Simons had breached the ministerial code but added that Starmer "will wish to consider, in the light of this distraction and potential reputational damage, whether he continues to hold your confidence as a member of your government".
In response, Simons wrote to Starmer to hand in his resignation, saying: "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.
"Nonetheless, it is clear that my remaining in office has now become a distraction from this government’s important work. For that reason, and with sadness and regret, I offer my resignation. It has been an honour to serve this great country."
Replying to Simons, the PM accepted his resignation "with sadness" and expressed his thanks for "the commitment, focus, and energy you have brought to ministerial office"
Starmer also said he was "grateful" for Simons's "full and proactive cooperation" throughout Magnus's investigation.
He added: "I understand that, to avoid any ongoing distraction from delivering the government’s mission, you have taken the difficult decision to step aside. I respect that decision and I look forward to continuing to work with you in driving forward the government’s priorities."