London Mayor Sadiq Khan is among 26 new peers appointed to the House of Lords. The appointments, announced by Downing Street, include 16 Labour nominees, five from the Liberal Democrats, three Conservatives, and two cross-bench members. The list of political peerages was reportedly in development before Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer announced his resignation.
Starmer, who is preparing to leave office, signaled he might grant resignation honors despite past reservations. The nominations are described as political peerages rather than customary resignation honors. Reform UK did not receive any peerages in this announcement, with leader Nigel Farage criticizing the appointments as "the uniparty writ large."
Khan, currently in his third term as London Mayor since being elected in 2016, has not yet decided if he will seek a fourth term in 2028. A government source described Khan as "a brilliant mayor who has transformed London for the better," citing reductions in violent crime, improvements in air quality, the delivery of the Elizabeth Line, and an increase in council home construction.
A spokesperson for Khan stated he was "honoured to be given a peerage" and expressed excitement about continuing to advocate for London. The process for appointment to the House of Lords typically involves nominations by the prime minister and formalization by the King after vetting.
The incoming government under Prime Minister Andy Burnham has called for a significant overhaul of the unelected House of Lords. Burnham has previously stated that a substantial portion of the national legislature being unelected is "scandalous."