Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar is expected to join Andy Burnham’s government after entering the House of Lords, BBC News reports.
The move would take Sarwar from Holyrood to Westminster and make him the latest figure who criticised Sir Keir Starmer before the former prime minister’s departure to be given a role in Burnham’s administration.
According to the BBC’s Chris Mason, Sarwar’s public statement in February that Sir Keir should resign came at a moment of severe pressure for the then prime minister. Cabinet ministers subsequently issued public messages backing Sir Keir.
Sarwar is set to join a government that already includes Miatta Fahnbulleh, now energy secretary, who was the first minister to resign from Sir Keir’s administration after saying she had lost confidence in him. Ed Miliband, now foreign secretary, is also in the cabinet after indicating during Sir Keir’s final weeks that he had advised him his time was over.
John Healey and Wes Streeting, who resigned as defence secretary and health secretary respectively near the end of Sir Keir’s tenure in Downing Street, now hold senior posts under Burnham. Healey is chancellor, while Streeting is defence secretary.
The BBC also highlighted comments from Steve Reed, a former communities secretary and supporter of Sir Keir. In a letter to Burnham as he left government, Reed wrote: “I hope those who did not show loyalty to Keir will now show it to you. I am proud that I acted with integrity at every step over the turbulent past few months.”
Mason said Reed’s remarks, along with criticism from Darren Jones over the funding of the government’s planned VAT cut on domestic electricity bills, pointed to continuing tensions inside Labour after the change of leadership.
Labour’s transition from Sir Keir to Burnham did not involve a formal leadership challenge, and Burnham was the only contender after Sir Keir said he would leave. However, the BBC analysis said the political strain built up over recent months is still being felt within the party.
