Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar is to be made a peer and appointed as a minister in Andy Burnham’s Government, sources have told the Press Association.
He will be elevated to the Lords and is expected to take up a ministerial post at the revamped Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, headed by Jonathan Reynolds.
Burnham's cabinet reshuffle
It comes as Mr Burnham is set to make a raft of ministerial appointments and after he unveiled his Cabinet on Monday, which marked a clearout of loyalists to his predecessor Sir Keir Starmer.
Mr Sarwar, who has been Scottish Labour leader since 2021, was among the first to call for Sir Keir to stand down in February. He hailed successor Mr Burnham for his “bold Labour vision” as he entered No 10 this week.
Cost-of-living focus
Mr Burnham called for unity and told his Cabinet he will lead a “cost-of-living Government” after announcing an £850 million tax cut on electricity bills on Tuesday. No 10 said the Cabinet meeting reflected “a sense of a united team, a new sense of energy, and a second chance at a first impression.”
