The Cabinet Office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds has been cleared of misconduct after the government’s in-house ethics team examined an exchange of WhatsApp messages he sent to a female MP. The Propriety and Ethics Team (PET) found no evidence of improper behaviour and took no further action, a Cabinet Office spokesman confirmed.
Mr Thomas-Symonds was formally reminded of his duties under the Ministerial Code during the process, but sources stressed that such reminders are issued as standard practice whenever a complaint is received and do not indicate any wrongdoing. Sir Keir Starmer’s independent adviser on ministerial standards, Sir Laurie Magnus, reviewed PET’s findings and agreed that a formal investigation was not necessary. The Prime Minister was briefed and accepted Sir Laurie’s recommendation.
How the inquiry worked
PET is a unit within the Cabinet Office responsible for investigating allegations of misconduct by ministers and officials. In this case, the team looked into a claim regarding an exchange of text messages between Mr Thomas-Symonds and a single female MP. According to Whitehall sources, the minister met with PET to be informed of the complaint. No official probe was opened because the initial review showed no evidence of impropriety.
The role of Sir Laurie Magnus in the process is significant. As the independent adviser on ministerial standards, he has the power to initiate investigations and require the government to publish his findings. His office has previously handled high-profile ethics reviews, including those concerning Partygate and the conduct of ministers such as Josh Simons. His involvement here reinforced the conclusion that the matter did not warrant further scrutiny.
The Ministerial Code, which sets out the standards of conduct expected of ministers, underpins such inquiries. Breaches can lead to formal investigations and, in serious cases, resignation, but in this instance the code was deemed not to have been broken.
Political turmoil and the minister’s loyalty
Mr Thomas-Symonds has remained publicly loyal to Sir Keir Starmer during a period of extreme turbulence at the top of government. Sir Keir resigned as Labour leader on 22 June 2026, triggering a leadership contest. Andy Burnham, the MP for Makerfield, quickly emerged as the frontrunner and could be declared Labour leader on 17 July if he runs unopposed. Nominations open on 9 July and close on 16 July. Reports suggest Mr Burnham could take over as Prime Minister as early as 20 July.
Speaking on background, allies of Mr Thomas-Symonds indicated that he backs Mr Burnham as the best candidate to succeed Sir Keir and believes that a prolonged contest would not be in the national interest. The Paymaster General’s support for the Prime Minister before the resignation was unwavering, and he has continued to argue for stability.
The minister’s portfolio and background
Nick Thomas-Symonds has been the MP for Torfaen since 2015 and was appointed Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office on 8 July 2024. He also holds the roles of Minister for the Constitution and Minister for European Union Relations. In the latter capacity, he has led the UK’s post-Brexit “reset” talks with Brussels, seeking a structured dialogue on foreign policy, security, law enforcement, and trade without rejoining the single market, customs union, or allowing freedom of movement. This work is a central pillar of the Labour government’s agenda.
Before entering government, Mr Thomas-Symonds held several shadow cabinet positions, including Shadow Home Secretary and Shadow International Trade Secretary. He is an academic, barrister and author who has written biographies of Clement Attlee, Aneurin Bevan and Harold Wilson.
Previous security incident
In a separate incident in October 2025, Mr Thomas-Symonds reported his personal phone stolen. Messages exchanged with Lord Mandelson in 2024 were lost in the theft, though the minister said no government business was compromised and the exchanges involved only general pleasantries and lobbying for Lord Mandelson’s bid to become chancellor of Oxford University. The theft was reported to the police and the Cabinet Office security team. The incident is unrelated to the text‑message inquiry that has now been resolved.
