Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar is set to leave frontline Scottish politics after being chosen to join Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s government as a business minister, marking a major shift in his political career.
The appointment will see Sarwar step down as leader of Scottish Labour and resign from the Scottish Parliament before taking a seat in the House of Lords, making him eligible to serve in Burnham’s administration.
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The move comes just months after Sarwar repeatedly insisted he was committed to leading Scottish Labour and pursuing his ambition of becoming Scotland’s first minister. During the Scottish Parliament election campaign in May, he dismissed suggestions that he was seeking a role at Westminster, saying his focus remained on serving the people of Scotland.
Sarwar has led Scottish Labour since 2021 but suffered a disappointing election in May, when the party won only 17 of the 129 seats in Holyrood—its poorest result since the Scottish Parliament was established.
His departure is expected to trigger a leadership contest within Scottish Labour. Deputy leader Jackie Baillie is widely expected to oversee the party on an interim basis, while former MSP Monica Lennon is likely to replace Sarwar in the Scottish Parliament through the regional list system.
Sarwar was among the Labour figures who publicly urged former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to resign earlier this year, a position that initially placed him at odds with the party leadership. However, he later backed Andy Burnham during the Labour leadership race and welcomed the new prime minister’s election, describing it as the beginning of a “bold Labour vision.”
His appointment has drawn mixed reactions across the political spectrum. Scotland’s First Minister, John Swinney, congratulated Sarwar but questioned Burnham’s decision, arguing that appointing a politician who had just overseen Labour’s worst Holyrood election result sent the wrong message about restoring public confidence in politics.
Opposition parties were even more critical. Reform UK accused Sarwar of abandoning Scottish voters after asking for their support during the recent election campaign, while the Scottish Greens criticised his decision to accept a seat in the House of Lords after previously supporting reform of the chamber.
Despite the criticism, former Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy described the appointment as a positive development for both Sarwar and the new government. He said Burnham was assembling a team capable of delivering results quickly and believed Sarwar’s experience would strengthen the administration.
The appointment is expected to be confirmed alongside further ministerial announcements from the new UK government in the coming days.
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