Anas Sarwar, the leader of Scottish Labour, has resigned his post and his seat in the Scottish Parliament to become a trade minister in the UK government – a move that requires him to take a seat in the House of Lords, an institution he previously called for scrapping.
On 22 July 2026, newly appointed Prime Minister Andy Burnham named Sarwar as Minister of State for Trade at the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade. Sarwar will leave the Scottish Parliament and his role as Scottish Labour leader, and will be granted a peerage so he can sit in the House of Lords. Dame Jackie Baillie becomes acting leader while the party elects a successor.
“Anas Sarwar resigns as Scottish Labour leader to become a minister, accepting a peerage he once opposed.”
Sarwar had led Scottish Labour since 2021. In the May 2026 Scottish Parliament elections, the party won only 17 out of 129 seats – a record low. Sarwar said he took 'fair share of responsibility' for that result. Previously, he had publicly called for Sir Keir Starmer's resignation in February. He also repeatedly said he would never enter the Lords, calling the institution 'unacceptable' in 2022. New rules introduced in 2025 prevent politicians from sitting in both Westminster and Holyrood simultaneously. Sarwar's seat in Glasgow will be filled by the next name on the regional list, Monica Lennon.
The move highlights tensions between Holyrood and Westminster, and raises questions about the future of Scottish Labour. It also puts the spotlight on Andy Burnham's early cabinet choices and the revival of the Lords as a route into government. Critics, including the SNP and Scottish Greens, accuse Sarwar of hypocrisy and have called on him to donate his ministerial salary to charity.
Q: Why does Anas Sarwar have to join the House of Lords to become a minister? The rules changed in 2025 so that MSPs cannot also be MPs or peers. Since Sarwar is currently an MSP, the only way for him to serve in the UK government is to resign his Holyrood seat and accept a peerage, which gives him a seat in the Lords.
Q: What happens to his Scottish Parliament seat? Because Sarwar was elected via the Glasgow regional list, there is no by-election. The next eligible candidate on the Scottish Labour list, Monica Lennon, will take his seat.
Q: Will there be a Scottish Labour leadership election? Yes. The Scottish Executive Committee will meet to agree a timetable for a leadership election. Acting leader Dame Jackie Baillie is in charge until a new leader is chosen. Potential candidates include Monica Lennon and Michael Marra.
The Scottish Executive Committee will meet to set a timetable for the leadership election. Sarwar will be formally appointed as a peer and take up his ministerial role. The SNP and Scottish Greens have called on him to donate his ministerial salary to charity.