Labour Minister Quits After Probe Clears Him Of Smear Campaign Against Journalists

Cabinet Office minister Josh Simons.

A government minister accused of organising a smear campaign against journalists has quit.

Josh Simons announced his resignation as a Cabinet Office minister after it emerged he had been cleared by Sir Laurie Magnus, the government’s ethics adviser, of breaching the ministerial code.

In a post on X, he said: “The Independent Advisor on Ministerial Standards has cleared me of breaching the ministerial code.

“But with regret, remaining in office has become a distraction...