Anas Sarwar Departs Scottish Labour for UK Government Ministerial Role
Former Scottish Labour leader accepts peerage and post in Andy Burnham's new administration, sparking political backlash and leadership scramble.
Sarah Connor
Anas Sarwar has resigned as leader of Scottish Labour to accept a peerage and a ministerial post within Andy Burnham's newly formed UK government.
The Scottish Executive Committee will convene to establish a timetable for the election of the next Scottish Labour Party leader, with further details promised by Baillie in due course.
Anas Sarwar's elevation to the House of Lords means no by-election will occur for his Holyrood seat, as he secured election via the regional list system.
Monica Lennon, the next name on the Glasgow list, will return to Holyrood, taking up Sarwar's vacated place.
Andy Burnham, moving into Downing Street on Monday, officially became the new Prime Minister; his administration immediately signaled a new direction.
Burnham announced an £850 million tax cut on electricity bills and plans to cap single bus fares across England from January.
The new government intends to scrap Sir Keir Starmer's digital ID project, marking a clear break from previous policy.
Downing Street announced 47 new ministerial appointments and 17 re-appointments late on Wednesday night, rapidly shaping the new administration.
Miatta Fahnbulleh, who resigned as a minister in May after declaring lost confidence in Starmer, now serves as the new energy secretary in Burnham's cabinet; her return signals a significant political rehabilitation.
Ed Miliband has been named the new Foreign Secretary, while Wes Streeting, who resigned as health secretary, now holds the defence secretary portfolio in Burnham's cabinet.
Dan Jarvis secured appointment as security minister; James Murray became Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General; and Anna Turley a Home Office minister.
Florence Eshalomi assumed the role of housing minister; Andy Slaughter became Solicitor General; while Sarah Sackman remains justice minister, and Luke Pollard continues as defence minister.
Burnham sat opposite Chancellor John Healey during a recent session, flanked by Cabinet Secretary Dame Antonia Romeo and Education Secretary Lucy Powell.
Douglas Alexander’s appointment as Scottish Secretary in September 2023 coincided with a deterioration in relationships between the Scottish Government and the United Kingdom Government, John Swinney claims, stating the relationship “haemorrhaged” with Alexander’s arrival.
The Prime Minister assured Swinney that the devolution of more powers and responsibilities to Scotland would not bypass the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Government, a commitment aiming to address concerns about centralisation.
A very very strange way for the new Prime Minister to rebuild confidence in politics.
Swinney wished Sarwar well in his “exciting new job” but criticized the appointment, calling it a “very very strange way” for the new Prime Prime Minister to rebuild confidence in politics.
Gillian Mackay called Sarwar a “chancer,” claiming he moved from promising to scrap the House of Lords to taking a seat within it, describing the hypocrisy as “breathtaking.”
The SNP accused Sarwar of lying to the electorate over his intentions, calling it “unacceptable” in 2022 after he previously stated he would never enter the Lords, an accusation fueling a narrative of political opportunism.
George Adam stated that the Labour party and Anas Sarwar repeatedly denied and lied to the people of Scotland about Sarwar’s intentions, adding that the fact he will now be “prancing about in ermine robes won’t be forgotten.”
Figures from within Sarwar's own party reeled from the news, with “surprised” being the word on the lips of a number of Scottish Labour politicians and staff on Wednesday.
One Scottish Labour worker stated that if Sarwar intended to resign, a clearer announcement in May 2024 would have allowed for proper assessment and restructuring, highlighting internal party disarray.
Sarwar expressed his delight to join the UK government, calling it an “honour” to serve people in Glasgow and across Scotland, framing his move as a commitment to public service.
He also stated he was “disappointed and sorry” for Scottish Labour's poor performance in the Scottish Parliament elections in May 2021, taking his “fair share of responsibility for that.”
Sarwar affirmed his motivation by public service, stating that the opportunity to serve the country is all he ever asked for, emphasizing the challenges facing the United Kingdom now could not be greater or the risks more stark.
The rise of an emboldened new right must concentrate minds. This is a fight for the heart and soul of the nation. Andy Burnham and this Labour government must succeed.
He emphasized that the rise of an emboldened new right must concentrate minds, calling it a fight for the heart and soul of the nation, asserting that Andy Burnham and this Labour government must succeed.
A source close to Sarwar suggested his appointment could help bridge the gap in understanding between Burnham and the devolved nations, as Scottish politicians have complained Burnham lacks knowledge of, or interest in, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
The source also noted Sarwar's ambition, stating that given the choice between being in power in Westminster and in opposition in Holyrood, it would be common sense for him to choose Westminster, a pragmatic view underscoring the political calculus.
Seventeen Labour MSPs are available to choose from for the next Scottish Labour leader, with Monica Lennon and Michael Marra emerging as potential candidates.