Anas Sarwar has sparked a political storm in Scotland by resigning as leader of Scottish Labour to take up a position in Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s new government. The unexpected move has drawn fierce condemnation from rival parties in Holyrood, who have labelled Sarwar a “chancer” and accused him of misleading the electorate.
Mr Sarwar, who was notably the first senior Labour figure to call for Keir Starmer’s resignation, is slated to become a peer and will be appointed to a ministerial post within the newly formed Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade. This appointment comes despite his previous public declarations against joining the House of Lords, an institution he has openly criticised in the past. The Scottish Green Party co-leader, Gillian Mackay, highlighted this perceived hypocrisy, stating that Mr Sarwar had gone from promising to abolish the Lords to taking a seat within it.
The Scottish National Party (SNP) has also weighed in, calling for Mr Sarwar to donate his new “bumper salary” to charity and accusing him of dishonesty regarding his intentions. SNP MSP George Adam asserted that the Labour party and Mr Sarwar had “repeatedly denied and lied to the people of Scotland” about his plans, adding that his new role would not be forgotten by voters. This criticism follows a challenging period for Scottish Labour, who recorded their worst results in Holyrood history in the election less than three months ago.
The decision has reportedly taken many within Scottish Labour by surprise, with party figures and staff expressing bewilderment. One Scottish Labour worker suggested that if such a move was planned, it would have been more transparent to announce it in May, allowing for a proper assessment and restructuring within the party. His seat as a Member of the Scottish Parliament will now be relinquished and passed to Monica Lennon, who is considered a strong contender for the leadership, alongside Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland.
Sources close to Mr Sarwar suggest that his appointment could serve to bridge a perceived gap in Prime Minister Burnham’s understanding of and engagement with the devolved nations. There has been criticism from north of the border that Mr Burnham’s devolution offer primarily focuses on England, neglecting Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. While many are surprised by Mr Sarwar's apparent willingness to leave Scottish politics, party insiders indicate that given the choice between power in Westminster and opposition in Holyrood, an ambitious politician would logically choose the former.