Anas Sarwar, the former leader of Scottish Labour, has officially taken his seat in the House of Lords. The ceremony, during which he wore traditional scarlet robes, saw him swear allegiance to the King. He was accompanied by Baroness Liddell of Coatdyke and Lord Robertson of Port Ellen, both former Scottish Labour MPs.
In his maiden speech, Lord Sarwar expressed gratitude to his family, including his father and former MP Mohammed Sarwar, and the 'people of Glasgow' for their support. He remarked on his role in the Labour Party's recent general election success and pledged to support Andy Burnham's bid to become Prime Minister. Sarwar also spoke of a broader struggle for the nation's 'heart and soul,' questioning whether the country should embrace unity and hope or succumb to division and hate.
He acknowledged successes within the first two years of the Labour government but conceded that the party had not fully met voter expectations. Lord Sarwar also expressed continued regret over the Scottish election results earlier this year.
The peerage comes after Sarwar previously advocated for the abolition of the House of Lords in a 2022 speech. He addressed this apparent contradiction by clarifying that his previous remarks questioned the institution's 'principle,' not its 'purpose or the people' involved. He reiterated his support for a more democratic and representative upper chamber.
Sarwar, 43, faced scrutiny after stepping down as leader of Scottish Labour in July to accept a junior role as trade minister in the UK Government. Critics suggested this move sent a negative message about the perceived value of leading the party in Scotland compared to a junior ministerial position. Labour activist Duncan Hothersall commented that the optics of a junior trade minister appointment being a promotion from the leader of Scottish Labour were detrimental.
Questions have also been raised regarding the timing of when Sarwar was offered a role by Prime Minister Andy Burnham. Sarwar was among the first Labour politicians to publicly call for Sir Keir Starmer's resignation as prime minister. Following Starmer's departure, Sarwar was made a peer shortly after Burnham assumed office.
Lord Sarwar led Scottish Labour from 2021, a period he described as the most challenging in politics. Under his leadership, the party's representation in Holyrood fell to 17 seats in May's election. First Minister of Scotland John Swinney previously criticized Sarwar's decision, labeling it as 'hypocrisy' and demonstrating an 'appalling level of judgment.' Swinney noted that Sarwar had previously stated he had no interest in the House of Lords and only wished to be First Minister of Scotland.
The result for Sarwar's successor as Scottish Labour leader is anticipated on September 19, with Joe Fagan and Michael Marra as the remaining candidates.