Josh Simons
 Josh Simons    ( politician) | |
|---|---|
| Born | Joshua Cameron Simons 24 July 1993 |
Josh Simons is a British Labour Party politician who was elected Member of Parliament for Makerfield in 2024. He was appointed a Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office in 2025, and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Digital Government at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 9 January 2026.
In 2026, it was reported he had been responsible for investigating the private affairs of journalists who had published an article unfavourable to Labour Together, a thinktank he ran, naming them to British intelligence, and falsely linking them to pro-Russian propaganda.
On 28 February 2026, Simons resigned his ministerial positions, stating that while he had been cleared of breaching the Ministerial Code, the allegations had become a 'distraction' from the government's work.[1]
On 14 May 2026, Simons announced that he would be standing down from Parliament, in order to allow Andy Burnham to successfully contest the ensuing 2026 Makerfield by-election. On 17 July 2026, Burnham won the Labour leadership election uncontested and on 20 July, he became prime minister.[2]
Event Participated in
| Event | Start | End | Location(s) | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keir Starmer/Premiership | 5 July 2024 | 20 July 2026 |
