Sir Keir Starmer has initiated a formal investigation into Cabinet Office minister Josh Simons, focusing on allegations that he falsely accused journalists of links to pro-Russian propaganda and commissioned an inquiry into their backgrounds. The decision follows revelations that Simons, while running the think tank Labour Together, was involved in reporting journalists to British intelligence officials, suggesting ties to Russian intelligence and claiming one journalist was "living with" the daughter of a former Jeremy Corbyn adviser.

The prime minister has referred the matter to Sir Laurie Magnus, his independent adviser on ministerial standards, whose involvement was first reported by the Observer. The investigation was publicly announced by Darren Jones, Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, in the House of Commons. Jones confirmed that Magnus would provide advice to the prime minister, who would then make a judgment, and that this advice would be published "very soon." Simons has stated he welcomes the referral to Magnus and pledged to "cooperate fully with this process."

Simons is facing intense scrutiny over his commissioning of the American PR company, APCO Worldwide, to investigate the "sourcing, funding and origin" of a November 2023 Sunday Times story that raised questions about £730,000 in undeclared donations to Labour Together. APCO was reportedly paid £36,000 and produced a 58-page dossier, which allegedly included deeply personal and false claims about Sunday Times Whitehall editor Gabriel Pogrund. While Simons claimed he was disturbed by APCO's report delving into "unnecessary information" and extending "beyond the contract," emails show his subsequent involvement in naming the same journalist to security officials and pressing for an investigation into the article's sourcing, despite a lack of evidence for Russian involvement or hacking.

Labour Together had previously been fined £14,250 in September 2021 by the Electoral Commission for late reporting of donations totaling £730,000 between 2017 and 2020. Simons is also the subject of a departmental ethics inquiry by the Cabinet Office's propriety and ethics team (PET). However, this internal inquiry has faced criticism, with calls from figures like Conservative Party chair Kevin Hollinrake and Liberal Democrat spokesperson Lisa Smart for an independent investigation, arguing that the Cabinet Office should not "mark its own homework" given Simons' ministerial role within it.

Despite an earlier statement from a No 10 spokesperson affirming Starmer's "full confidence" in Simons, the announcement of Magnus's inquiry came just hours later. Pressure on Simons has escalated, with several politicians calling for his resignation or suspension. More than 20 Labour MPs also penned a letter to the Prime Minister and Labour's general secretary, demanding an independent investigation into Labour Together's actions to uphold "the highest standards of integrity and accountability" and defend the "freedom of journalists."

It was also claimed that Simons passed the findings of APCO's inquiry to the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), suggesting an investigation into whether Labour Together was targeted by a Russian operation to undermine Sir Keir. A spokesperson for Mr. Simons has denied these allegations, stating they are "untrue." The Prime Minister's official spokesman emphasized that "Journalism and the free press are fundamental to any democracy and any reporters must be able to do their jobs without fear of favour."