SCOTTISH Labour's acting leader has described Anas Sarwar's appointment in the House of Lords as an "offer you can't refuse".
She went on to say that the decision to give Sarwar a seat in the Lords and a ministerial job, as well as keeping Douglas Alexander on as Scotland Secretary, is "about rewarding talent".
Speaking to Clyde 1 News, Jackie Baillie answered questions on if Sarwar has "failed upward", after leading the party to its two worst-ever Scottish election results.
In May Scottish Labour slumped to 17 seats, drawing in second with Reform UK despite Sarwar campaigning with the hope of being the next First Minister.
"We fought hard in the Holyrood election, we wanted to win that election, the electorate took a different view of that and we have to respect that," she said, adding that they need a "period of reflection" on what happened.
Speaking on if Sarwar and Alexander have been "rewarded for failure" after presiding over the election campaign, she said: "That's not the case at all. Did we want to win the election? Of course we did. We didn't want to lose it.
"But you need in government to recognise the talents that are available to you and ensure they are in positions where they can help not only the people of Scotland but the people across the United Kingdom as well.
"This is about rewarding talent."
‘This is about rewarding talent’ Scottish Labour’s acting leader Jackie Baillie’s rejecting criticism of Anas Sarwar’s switch to the House of Lords - saying it was an offer too good to refuse He’s quit as leader after accepting a job in Andy Burnham’s government. pic.twitter.com/DMwgalEHf0
— Clyde 1 News (@Clyde1News) July 23, 2026
Earlier in the interview she described the job as an offer "you really can't refuse."
"Any leader that has lost an election will reflect on that, will make decisions based on that, but he was committed to staying," she said.
"But when an offer comes from the Prime Minister to go and serve in government, it's an offer you really can't refuse.
"I'm delighted for him that he'll be in the House of Lords, that he'll be a minister in the UK Government".
It comes after backlash from the SNP, Greens and internally in Scottish Labour, with Sarwar being branded as a hypocrite by the First Minister.
Speaking to the Press Association, John Swinney said: “I think what it demonstrates is an appalling level of judgment by Anas Sarwar.
“He said before the (Holyrood) election he had absolutely no interest in going to the House of Lords, he only wanted to be first minister of Scotland.
“Then, after the election, Anas Sarwar has accepted a place in the House of Lords – a body, by the way, he wants to abolish.
“That is an incredible level of hypocrisy and it just illustrates what I think the Prime Minister is trying to address, which is the fact that politicians say one thing one minute and then do another thing the next minute, when it suits them.
“That, I thought, was what Andy Burnham was trying to address and to solve.
“But instead, Andy Burnham has exacerbated that sentiment within our society.”
Sarwar has previously, on multiple occasions, ruled out joining the House of Lords , calling the unelected chamber an "unacceptable" institution, and saying it should be abolished.
In 2024 he described democracy in the UK as "broken", adding that this could only be fixed if we "replace the House of Lords".
Just weeks ago he told his MSPs that he would "absolutely" not be resigning and vowed to fight on in Scotland.
Lauren Harper, a member of Scottish Labour's Executive Committee, branded the decision "shameful".
“ Anas Sarwar has consistently failed Scottish Labour and its members,” she said.
“While I am happy to see the back of him as leader, it is a sad reflection on where we are as a party that he has been rewarded for five years of failure with a seat in the House of Lords .”
Responding to this criticism in the Clyde 1 interview, Baillie said: "It's not really."
"It's his view and my view and Labour party policy that we want to reform the House of Lords, we want to make it a more democratic institution, and that is given as a policy position.
"You can hold both positions at the same, but in order to serve in Government he is required to enter the House of Lords.
"That is something that is in the gift of the Prime Minister, I am delighted for both Anas, but also for Scotland that he will be another strong voice around the table in government, making sure Scotland's interests are represented at the highest level.
In a statement on Wednesday night, Sarwar said he is "delighted" to join the former Manchester mayor's government, adding that it has been "an honour" to serve the people of Glasgow.
His four-page statement added elsewhere: "I’ve seen how Andy Burnham has worked to empower communities, to deliver change, to bring jobs and economic growth through working with businesses, to make Manchester a great place to live and do business. We have a job of work to do to replicate that in every corner of the United Kingdom.
"Britain has phenomenal talent – people bursting with ideas and energy, an entrepreneurial spirit and potential that needs unlocked and unleashed. That is what will drive me every day in this new role.
"Looking back over the last five years, I am hugely proud of the work we have done since I became Scottish Labour Leader.
"As a team, we rebuilt and renewed the party, leading the way in removing the Tories from office, taking Scottish Labour from one member of parliament in 2019 to 37 in 2024.
"And we always endeavoured to hold the Scottish Government to account and advocated for change in Scotland too. I am disappointed and sorry we couldn’t achieve a better outcome at the recent Scottish election. I take my fair share of responsibility for that."
