SerpApi.Org
Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labour leader, is to be handed a peerage so he can become a minister in Andy Burnham’s administration.
Downing Street sources confirmed Mr Sarwar, who was the first senior Labour figure to call for Sir Keir Starmer to quit, has been given a peerage so he can serve as a business minister.
Mr Sarwar urged Sir Keir to resign at the height of the Mandelson scandal in February. He told a press conference at the time that “the distraction needs to end, and the leadership in Downing Street has to change”.
He added: “We cannot allow the failures at the heart of Downing Street to mean the failures continue here in Scotland.”
In the wake of the attack, Sir Keir was forced to order his Cabinet members to declare their support for him.
Mr Sarwar blamed Sir Keir after he led Scottish Labour to its worst-ever Holyrood election result in May, with the party winning only 17 seats.
The SNP won a fifth term in office despite the Peter Murrell scandal and widespread dissatisfaction with its record.
Mr Sarwar is expected to resign as Scottish Labour leader because so-called dual mandates are banned at Holyrood, meaning he cannot serve as a peer and MSP at the same time.
Only a month ago, when asked if he planned to serve for the five-year Holyrood term as party leader, Mr Sarwar said: “That is my intention.
“I’m hungry for the fight ahead and I want to play my full part in making sure this country never ends up in the hands of Nigel Farage and Reform.”
He succeeded Left-winger Richard Leonard as Scottish Labour leader shortly before the 2021 election, when the party won 22 seats.
Mr Sarwar was present at Mr Burnham’s unveiling as the new Labour leader on Friday, and it is understood he is in London.
Keith Brown, the SNP’s deputy leader, said: “This is a terrible look for Andy Burnham who waxed lyrical about a new politics and devolving power - he’s just pulled the most undemocratic trick in the Westminster book.
“Anas Sarwar led Scottish Labour to their worst ever election defeat, but as is always the case with the Labour Party, there’s always a cushty number in the House of Lords.”
Mr Burnham made a further flurry of junior ministerial appointments on Tuesday night. Dan Jarvis, the former defence secretary, returned to his old job as security minister, which he held before John Healey quit.
James Murray, the former health secretary who took over when Wes Streeting resigned, was demoted to financial secretary to the Treasury.
The move marks a significant downgrade for Mr Murray, who served in Cabinet in the more senior role of Chief Secretary to the Treasury before Mr Streeting quit.
Anna Turley is no longer Labour Party chair and has instead been made a Home Office minister.
Florence Eshalomi has become a housing minister and Andy Slaughter has been appointed as Solicitor General, freeing up their roles as heads of parliament’s housing and justice committees.
There were also 17 re-appointments for ministers to remain in their roles, including Sarah Sackman as justice minister and Luke Pollard as defence minister.
