Just five months ago, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar publicly told Sir Keir Starmer he should resign as prime minister, a moment that brought the government to the brink of collapse. Now, Sarwar is set to become a minister in Andy Burnham's cabinet, swapping Holyrood for Westminster and taking a seat in the House of Lords.
Sarwar, who has led Scottish Labour since 2021, is expected to stand down as an MSP and as party leader to become a business minister in the revamped Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, headed by Jonathan Reynolds. His appointment would mean leaving the Scottish Parliament and taking up a seat in the unelected upper chamber – a move he had previously ruled out, saying in May he was focused on becoming first minister of Scotland.
“Why Anas Sarwar's move from Holyrood to the Lords matters for UK politics”
Sarwar's call for Starmer to resign in February was a pivotal moment. It triggered a wave of public loyalty statements from cabinet ministers, without which Starmer's authority might have collapsed. Ultimately, Starmer resigned in June after losing the confidence of his party. Burnham, the former Greater Manchester mayor, became Labour leader and prime minister, appointing his cabinet on Monday. Sarwar was among those attending the event where Burnham took over.
The promotion of Sarwar is part of a pattern. Other former Starmer critics – including Miatta Fahnbulleh, the energy secretary who was the first minister to resign from Starmer's government, and Ed Miliband, now foreign secretary – have also been brought into Burnham's cabinet. Even Wes Streeting, who resigned as health secretary near the end of Starmer's tenure, now serves as defence secretary. This has created private resentment among loyalists. Steve Reed, the former communities secretary and a staunch Starmer defender, wrote to Burnham on leaving government: "I hope those who did not show loyalty to Keir will now show it to you."
For UK readers, this story matters because it reveals the internal fractures within the ruling Labour Party – and raises questions about loyalty, integrity, and the use of the House of Lords. The SNP has called the appointment a "terrible look", accusing Burnham of hypocrisy after he spoke of devolving power. Sarwar's move also creates a leadership vacancy in Scottish Labour, with deputy leader Jackie Baillie expected to step up temporarily. A formal contest will follow, and the outcome could shape Labour's fortunes in Scotland, where the party won only 17 of 129 seats in the Holyrood election in May.
Q: What did Anas Sarwar say about Keir Starmer? In February, Sarwar publicly called for Starmer to resign as prime minister, saying his leadership was no longer tenable. The intervention was seen as a moment of huge jeopardy for Starmer, who managed to survive after cabinet ministers rushed to support him. Sarwar later said he planned to stay on as Scottish Labour leader after Starmer's resignation in June.
Q: Why is Anas Sarwar going to the House of Lords? To become a minister in Andy Burnham's government, Sarwar needs a seat in Parliament. Since he is leaving the Scottish Parliament, he will be given a life peerage, allowing him to serve as a business minister in the Lords. The move is controversial because Sarwar had previously ruled out taking a Lords seat, saying he was focused on becoming first minister.
Q: What happens to Scottish Labour now? Sarwar's departure triggers a leadership contest. Deputy leader Jackie Baillie is expected to act as interim leader. The next leader will face the challenge of rebuilding after a poor Holyrood election result and managing the party's relationship with the UK government, which is now led by a Labour prime minister.
What happens next is still unfolding. Burnham has a raft of ministerial appointments still to make. Meanwhile, the SNP has seized on Sarwar's appointment as evidence of Labour's contempt for Scottish democracy, and the internal Labour wounds from Starmer's downfall are still raw. The coming weeks will show whether Burnham can unite a party scarred by the recent turmoil – or whether the ghosts of the Starmer era will continue to haunt him.
