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  "path": "/politics/keir-starmer-labour-minister-josh-simons-sack-smear-labour-together",
  "publishedAt": "2026-02-22T10:11:08.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.gbnews.com",
  "tags": [
    "Peter Mandelson's lobbying firm Global Counsel collapses into administration",
    "Labour MPs rage at Keir Starmer as election U-turn forces party to face voters' wrath",
    "Labour MP calls for Britain to hand over billions in 'colonialism reparations'",
    "The GB News Editorial Charter"
  ],
  "textContent": "\n\n\nPoliticians from across the political spectrum are demanding Sir Keir Starmer dismiss Cabinet minister Josh Simons following allegations he orchestrated a smear operation against newspaper reporters.\n\nSenior figures from the Conservative, Reform, Liberal Democrat and Labour parties have united in calling for the former Labour Together director's removal from Government.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nCritics argue Mr Simons is deeply implicated in dubious conduct and maintain his ministerial role has become impossible to sustain.\n\nThe pressure intensified after revelations emerged that he requested intelligence services investigate Sunday Times journalists whilst making false assertions about their supposed connections to the Kremlin.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nTRENDING\n\nStories\n\nVideos\n\nYour Say\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nMr Simons allegedly commissioned PR company Apco Worldwide, paying £36,000 to probe the personal, religious and political backgrounds of reporters covering Labour Together's undisclosed funding arrangements.\n\nThe minister initially expressed being \"distressed\" by the report, claiming Apco had exceeded its remit by incorporating unnecessary details about Gabriel Pogrund, the newspaper's Whitehall editor.\n\nHowever, The Guardian disclosed on Friday that Mr Simons had directly supplied information about Mr Pogrund and fellow journalists to British intelligence agencies.\n\nThe Makerfield MP is also accused of alleging they possessed Kremlin ties.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nA November 2023 email appeared to set out the scope of work Apco had agreed to undertake for Labour Together.\n\nThe correspondence, addressed to Mr Simons, stated: \"Apco will investigate the sourcing, funding and origins of a Sunday Times article about Labour Together, as well as upcoming works by authors Paul Holden and Matt Taibbi, to establish who and what are behind the coordinated attacks on Labour Together.\"\n\nThe email continued that the approach should generate evidence \"that could be packaged up for use in the media in order to create narratives that would proactively undermine any future attacks on Labour Together\".\n\nShadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: \"The latest installation of this case shows Josh Simons was in this up to his neck. He clearly knew exactly what was going on.\"\n\n### LATEST DEVELOPMENTS\n\n\n\n\n  * Peter Mandelson's lobbying firm Global Counsel collapses into administration\n  * Labour MPs rage at Keir Starmer as election U-turn forces party to face voters' wrath\n  * Labour MP calls for Britain to hand over billions in 'colonialism reparations'\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nMr Philp insisted the minister \"is therefore not suitable to serve as a minister and he should resign and, if he doesn't, the Prime Minister should fire him\".\n\nReform frontbencher Robert Jenrick added: \"Josh Simons commissioned a report to smear and discredit journalists and appears to have lied to cover it up.\"\n\nMr Jenrick highlighted the irony that Mr Simons \"championed mandatory digital ID and is entrusted with protecting the personal data of British citizens\".\n\nHe concluded: \"There is no way he can continue in his position.\"\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nMeanwhile, Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey remarked: \"We were told this Government would be cleaner than clean.\n\n\"Instead we're stuck with Cabinet Office ministers whose previous spin tactics involved reporting journalists to the intelligence agencies. Simons must consider his position.\"\n\nLabour MPs also began distancing themselves from their colleague on Saturday.\n\nRachel Maskell told The Telegraph: \"I find it astounding that he [Josh Simons] is still in place in the Cabinet Office.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n\"I think it's quite curious why action hasn't been taken on that ground. There must be an independent investigation into what happened.\"\n\nKarl Turner, another Labour backbencher, argued: \"I don't think it cuts the mustard to have the Cabinet Office investigating a Cabinet minister.\"\n\nMr Turner described the alleged pursuit of journalists by a PR firm as \"an absolute disgrace and completely shameful if proven to be true,\" adding that had Mr Simons been a Conservative, Labour colleagues would undoubtedly be demanding his dismissal.\n\nEx-Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell and Committee on Standards in Public Life chief Alistair Graham have both called for an independent inquiry into the affair.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n**Our Standards:The GB News Editorial Charter **",
  "title": "'It's untenable!' Keir Starmer under pressure to SACK Labour minister over think tank 'smear' campaign"
}