Anas Sarwar has stepped down as Scottish Labour leader to join Andy Burnham's government as Minister of State for Trade at the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade. Sarwar will leave the Scottish Parliament and be granted a peerage to take up the role, despite previously stating in May 2026 that he would not accept a seat in the House of Lords.
The move follows Scottish Labour's worst-ever Holyrood result in May 2026, when the party won just 17 seats. Dame Jackie Baillie becomes acting leader, while Monica Lennon is next on the Glasgow regional list to fill Sarwar's Holyrood seat.
First Minister John Swinney criticised the appointment as a "terrible look" for Burnham. The resignation also contrasts with Sarwar's February 2026 call for Sir Keir Starmer to resign as prime minister and his June pledge to serve the full five-year Holyrood term as party leader.