National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC)

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) is not directly mentioned in these articles. However, GCHQ, the UK's intelligence, security and cyber agency, is referenced. The news revolves around a Labour minister, Josh Simons (formerly running Labour Together), who falsely accused journalists of having links to Russian intelligence and obtaining information about the thinktank from a Russian hack. Simons reportedly shared these accusations, including naming the journalists and linking them to pro-Russian propaganda, in emails to GCHQ. This has led to calls for the minister's dismissal. The relevance to GCHQ stems from the fact that a government official allegedly used the agency to investigate and potentially discredit journalists based on unsubstantiated claims, raising concerns about the misuse of intelligence resources and potential chilling effects on press freedom. The NCSC's role, if any, in this situation is not specified in the provided articles.