ANAS Sarwar is set to quit as Scottish Labour leader and become a minister in Andy Burnham's UK Government, according to reports.
The Glasgow MSP was seen in the audience as Burnham delivered his first speech as Prime Minister on Monday and has stayed in London as the Cabinet is announced.
Sarwar is set to become the UK Government’s business minister, and will be given a peerage in an announcement which could be made as soon as Tuesday evening, according to reports.
He was re-elected as a Glasgow MSP in May’s Scottish Parliamentary elections, but parliamentarians in Scotland are banned from holding dual mandates in both Holyrood and Westminster.
Sarwar would therefore be required to resign as a regional MSP and take up a seat in the House of Lords.
He strongly refuted suggestions he would accept a peerage back in May before Scottish Labour suffered their worst ever result at a Scottish Parliament election.
When asked at the time if he would ever take up a seat in the House of Lords, Sarwar replied: “No, I'm focused on being First Minister of this great country.”
Sarwar resigning from Holyrood will mean that the left-wing candidate he defeated in the previous Scottish Labour leadership election, Monica Lennon, automatically becomes an MSP on the Glasgow list.
He was one of the first in Labour's ranks to call for Keir Starmer to resign as prime minister over the Peter Mandelson row.
SNP deputy leader, Keith Brown MSP, said awarding a peerage to Sarwar would send the message that the Labour Party are “literally lording it over the people of Scotland”.
He 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.
“What a signal to send after their democratic defeat - this is the Labour Party literally lording it over the people of Scotland.
“This morning Andy Burnham denied Scottish democracy in a phone call with Scotland’s First Minister, tonight he appoints a failed Scottish Labour leader to the Lords. This new Labour Government has deeply damaged its democratic credibility tonight.
“Andy Burnham raised the question of where power lies on these islands - it’s clear the Labour Party are still stubbornly determined to keep it firmly in the grip of a detached and undemocratic Westminster establishment.”
Sarwar has been Scottish Labour leader since 2021.
He said he planned to stay in his post after Starmer's resignation in June.
Asked if he planned to serve for the five-year Holyrood term as party leader, 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.”
