Labour minister under investigation as new scandal rocks Keir Starmer

The Prime Minister has asked his independent adviser on ministerial standards, Laurie Magnus, to examine the conduct of Mr Simons.

Labour Together, once ran by former Chief of Staff Morgan McSweeney, 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.

The journalists from The Guardian and The Sunday Times had covered the campaign group’s failure to declare more than £700,000 in donations.

Mr Simons has faced calls to resign from his ministerial post.

The issue has been referred to independent adviser on ministerial standards Sir Laurie Magnus, Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister Darren Jones said.

Mr 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."

Mr Jones said the Prime Minister will "make a judgment" about Josh Simons’ future once he has received advice from the independent adviser.

He said: "His advice to the Prime Minister will be made public in the normal way.

"The independent adviser is appointed to provide impartial and independent advice to the prime minister in light of his published terms of reference."

Mr Jones also insisted that freedom of the press is a "cornerstone of our democracy", and the Government is committed to upholding and protecting that freedom.

In the Commons, senior Conservatives called for Mr Simons to resign from his post.

Shadow Cabinet Office Minister Alex Burghart said it was "difficult to see" how Mr Simons’ position was tenable, saying he was involved in "a deliberate attempt to smear and intimidate journalists."

Responding to his claims, Mr Jones said if Mr Simons had been suspended, the ethics adviser would not be able to investigate him.

Long serving Conservative MP for New Forest East Julian Lewis said he did not see the need for a further investigation into Mr Simons, adding the facts were "clear" and Mr Simons’ position was "indefensible."

Mr Jones responded, saying that the ethics adviser is investigating the case because the facts of the case are "disputed."

Labour Together is said to have hired Apco Worldwide, which then allegedly investigated reporters from The Sunday Times, The Guardian and other outlets to identify their sources after reports emerged about the think tank.

The PR firm’s probe is said to have resulted in a 58-page report, which included details designed to discredit reporters who had looked into campaign finance breaches by the think tank.

The think tank was fined £14,250 in September 2021 over late reporting of donations, totalling £730,000 between 2017 and 2020, after referring itself to the Electoral Commission.