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  "path": "/politics/labour-minister-under-investigation-new-scandal-rocks-keir-starmer",
  "publishedAt": "2026-02-23T16:00:49.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.gbnews.com",
  "tags": [
    "Keir Starmer hints UK ready to hit back at US as Donald Trump tariff row escalates",
    "Nigel Farage suggests reason why politicians are 'desperate to close down pubs' in landlord row",
    "Labour outlines plans to expand rights for children with special education needs",
    "The GB News Editorial Charter"
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  "textContent": "\n\n\nA Labour minister is under investigation in yet another scandal to hit Sir Keir Starmer's party.\n\nCabinet Office minister and MP for Makerfield Josh Simons, who was running the think-tank Labour Together, allegedly paid for a probe into the background of critical journalists.****\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe Prime Minister has asked his independent adviser on ministerial standards, Laurie Magnus, to examine Mr Simons’s conduct.\n\nLabour Together is accused of paying PR firm Apco Worldwide £36,000 to look into the background of journalists in 2023, when Mr Simons was its director.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nTRENDING\n\nStories\n\nVideos\n\nYour Say\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe journalists had covered the campaign group’s failure to declare more than £700,000 in donations.\n\nMr Simons has faced calls to resign from his ministerial post.\n\nThe issue has been referred to independent adviser on ministerial standards Sir Laurie Magnus, Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister Darren Jones said.\n\nMr 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.\"\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n**_More to follow..._**\n\n### LATEST DEVELOPMENTS\n\n\n\n\n  * Keir Starmer hints UK ready to hit back at US as Donald Trump tariff row escalates\n  * Nigel Farage suggests reason why politicians are 'desperate to close down pubs' in landlord row\n  * ****Labour outlines plans to expand rights for children with special education needs\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n**Our Standards:The GB News Editorial Charter **",
  "title": "Labour minister under investigation as new scandal rocks Keir Starmer"
}