Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labour leader, has resigned to become a minister in Andy Burnham's government—a move that has sparked accusations of hypocrisy and lying from political rivals. Sarwar is the first senior Labour figure to publicly call for Keir Starmer to resign, five months before Starmer was ousted as prime minister. Now, Sarwar will take a seat in the House of Lords as a peer and become a minister at the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade.
Sarwar's appointment is part of a wider reshuffle under Burnham, who became prime minister after Starmer stepped down. Other prominent figures who turned against Starmer have also been given senior roles: Miatta Fahnbulleh, the first minister to resign from Starmer's government, is now energy secretary; Ed Miliband is foreign secretary; John Healey is chancellor; and Wes Streeting is defence secretary. The move has been criticised by the SNP and Scottish Greens, with SNP MSP George Adam accusing Sarwar of lying to voters and Green co-leader Gillian Mackay calling him a "chancer." Sarwar had previously called the House of Lords "unacceptable" and promised to scrap it.
“Anas Sarwar, Scottish Labour leader, becomes a peer and minister after calling for Starmer's resignation.”
This episode is rooted in the dramatic collapse of Keir Starmer's premiership. In February 2026, Sarwar publicly said Starmer should stand down, a moment that threatened to shatter Starmer's authority. Cabinet ministers quickly rallied around Starmer on social media, but internal discontent grew. By July, Starmer was gone. Burnham, the former Manchester mayor, took over as Labour leader and prime minister. The transition was swift and relatively orderly, but it left behind personal bitterness—as shown by Steve Reed, a loyal Starmer ally, who wrote to Burnham urging him to value loyalty.
For UK readers, this story matters because it reveals how Labour's power structures are shifting. Sarwar's move from Scottish leader—elected in May with disastrous Holyrood results—to a Westminster peer shows how quickly political fortunes can change. It also highlights the ongoing tension between Labour's Scottish branch and its UK leadership, and raises questions about whether promises made to voters (like abolishing the Lords) are abandoned when power is at stake. The affair may further damage Labour's credibility in Scotland, where the SNP are already gaining ground.
Q: Why did Anas Sarwar become a lord? Andy Burnham appointed Sarwar as a peer and minister to reward his early call for Starmer to resign and to bring Scottish Labour leadership into the UK government. Sarwar will now serve as a minister in the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade.
Q: What did Anas Sarwar previously say about the House of Lords? In 2022, Sarwar called the House of Lords "unacceptable" and supported abolishing it. He also said he would never enter the Lords. His acceptance of a peerage has been called "hypocrisy" by politicians including Scottish Green co-leader Gillian Mackay.
Q: Who is Andy Burnham and why is he prime minister? Andy Burnham, the former mayor of Greater Manchester, became Labour leader and prime minister after Keir Starmer resigned in July 2026. He has appointed several former Starmer critics to his cabinet, including Sarwar, Miatta Fahnbulleh, and Ed Miliband.
What happens next: Sarwar will resign his seat in the Scottish Parliament, and Monica Lennon—the next candidate on the party list—is expected to replace him. A leadership contest for Scottish Labour is likely, with Michael Marra among potential candidates. Meanwhile, Burnham's government faces questions about funding pledges, such as the planned cut in VAT on electricity bills, as noted by former Starmer loyalist Darren Jones.