UK PM Burnham Appoints Sarwar to Lords Amid Labour Backlash
New UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham appointed Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar to the House of Lords and as a minister in the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, despite Sarwar having called for former PM Keir Starmer’s resignation over the Peter Mandelson scandal. The move sparked fury among Scottish Labour MPs, as Sarwar led the party to its worst Holyrood election result (17 MSPs) and is now stepping down as Scottish leader. Critics accuse Sarwar and allies of “failing upwards,” deepening internal party turmoil.
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Andy Burnham Faces Backlash Over Peerage and Government Job for Scottish Labour Leader Anas Sarwar
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has sparked a backlash among Scottish Labour MPs after granting a life peerage and a ministerial position in the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade to Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labour leader. The move comes seven months after Sarwar called on then-Prime Minister Keir Starmer to resign over the Peter Mandelson scandal. Since that call, Sarwar led Scottish Labour to its worst-ever performance in Holyrood elections, winning only 17 seats and finishing a distant second to the SNP. Despite this, Burnham appointed Sarwar as a minister of state, requiring a life peerage as Sarwar is not an MP. Sarwar is also stepping down as Scottish Labour leader, causing further turmoil. Scottish Labour MPs expressed fury, arguing there are 37 capable MPs who could have been appointed instead. Some accused Sarwar and Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander of 'failing upwards' after a disastrous campaign. One MP defended Sarwar, citing his dedication to Scottish Labour.
Andy Burnham Faces Backlash Over Peerage for Scottish Labour Leader Anas Sarwar
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has sparked a major backlash within Scottish Labour by granting a life peerage and a ministerial position to Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar. Sarwar, who called on Keir Starmer to quit as PM over the Peter Mandelson scandal seven months ago, has been appointed a minister of state in the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade. The move comes after Sarwar led Labour to its worst ever performance in Scottish Parliament elections, reducing the party to just 17 MSPs. Scottish Labour MPs are reportedly furious, with one stating that the party has 37 capable MPs and does not need to 'import more' ministers. Sarwar is also stepping down as Scottish Labour leader, plunging the party into further turmoil. Critics accuse Sarwar and his ally, Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander, of 'failing upwards' after a disastrous Holyrood campaign. A senior Labour figure said the party in Scotland is 'absolutely destroyed for the foreseeable future.'
Andy Burnham Gives Peerage and Ministerial Role to Labour Figure Who Urged Starmer to Quit
New UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has appointed Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar to the House of Lords and as a minister in the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade. The move is a major shock as Sarwar had publicly called on former PM Keir Starmer to resign in February over the Peter Mandelson scandal. Sarwar led Scottish Labour to a poor result in the May Holyrood elections, with the party's MSPs dropping from 20 to 17. Despite his earlier rebellion, Starmer remained in office until stepping down last week. Burnham, who took over as PM, had pledged to end factionalism but has since removed several Starmer loyalists from his cabinet and appointed his own supporters.
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Andy Burnham Gives Peerage and Ministerial Role to Labour Figure Who Urged Starmer to Quit
New UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has appointed Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar to the House of Lords and as a minister in the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade. The move is a major shock as Sarwar had publicly called on former PM Keir Starmer to resign in February over the Peter Mandelson scandal, in which Mandelson is accused of passing market-sensitive information to Jeffrey Epstein. Sarwar's elevation comes despite leading Scottish Labour to a poor result in the May 7 Holyrood elections, where the party fell to 17 MSPs. Burnham, who took over as PM last week, had promised to end 'factionalism' but immediately removed several Starmer loyalists from his cabinet and appointed his own supporters. The article highlights internal Labour Party tensions and Burnham's consolidation of power.
Andy Burnham Gives Peerage and Ministerial Role to Labour Figure Who Urged Starmer to Quit
New UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has appointed Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar to the House of Lords and as a minister in the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, despite Sarwar having called on former PM Keir Starmer to resign earlier this year. Sarwar broke ranks in February over the Peter Mandelson scandal, urging Starmer to step down. The move comes after Sarwar led Scottish Labour to a poor result in the May Holyrood elections, where the party fell to 17 MSPs. Burnham, who recently took over as PM, had pledged to end factionalism but has removed several Starmer loyalists from his cabinet while promoting his own allies. The appointment signals a shift in Labour's internal power dynamics under Burnham's leadership.