Sir Keir Starmer has ordered his ethics watchdog to investigate a cabinet office minister, following claims a Labour think tank paid for an investigation into journalists.
Josh Simons has faced calls to resign from his ministerial post after reports Labour Together, which he ran before entering government, paid a PR firm to look into the personal background of a journalist in 2023.
The chief secretary to the prime minister told MPs on Monday that Mr Simons had now been referred to the independent standards adviser Sir Laurie Magnus, following an investigation by civil servants in the Cabinet Office’s propriety and ethics team.
“As the prime minister confirmed last week, he asked civil servants in the Cabinet Office’s propriety and ethics team to establish the facts…that work has now concluded and the facts have now been reported to the prime minister,” Darren Jones told the Commons.
“The prime minister has been advised that the matter should be referred now to the independent adviser on ministerial standards, which the prime minister has done today.”
More follows on this breaking news story…
