London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan is set to enter the House of Lords as one of 26 new peers, marking one of the final official acts by Sir Keir Starmer before he leaves the office of prime minister. The list of appointees includes 16 individuals nominated as Labour peers, among them broadcaster June Sarpong and former union leader Christina McAnea.
Alongside the Labour contingent, the government has appointed five Liberal Democrats, three Conservatives, and two cross-bench members: former cabinet secretary Sir Chris Wormald and retired senior judge Sir Brian Leveson.
Downing Street confirmed the list, stating that the King has signified his intention to confer the peerages. This announcement arrives as Sir Keir prepares to step down on Monday, with Andy Burnham expected to succeed him as prime minister.
According to reports, the nominations represent a cross-party effort that was already in progress before Sir Keir announced his resignation as Labour leader last month.
Officials have clarified that these are political peerages rather than the traditional resignation honours usually granted by departing leaders, a distinction noted even as Sir Keir had previously expressed skepticism about the justification of such awards.
The inclusion of Sir Sadiq, who is currently serving his third term as London mayor, is a notable feature of the list. A government source defended the appointment, describing the mayor as a transformative figure who has successfully reduced violent crime to record lows, improved air quality, overseen the delivery of the Elizabeth Line, and resumed the construction of council homes.
A spokesperson for the mayor confirmed that Sir Sadiq is honoured by the appointment and remains committed to his ongoing work in London, focusing on building a fairer, safer, and greener city. The mayor is not seeking a ministerial role in the incoming administration and has yet to decide on a potential fourth term in 2028.
The appointments drew criticism from Reform UK, which received no peerages in this round. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage condemned the selection as an example of the "uniparty" in action, arguing that it results in an even less representative upper house.
While the process of appointing peers remains a function of the King acting on the advice of the prime minister, the future of the House of Lords remains a point of political debate.
Although Labour previously proposed abolishing the chamber in 2022, the party has since moved toward considering alternative reform plans, having already removed the 92 seats reserved for hereditary peers. Incoming leader Andy Burnham has been a vocal critic of the current system, recently describing the existence of an unelected legislature as scandalous.
Sir Sadiq has been nominated to become a Labour Lord alongside 15 others, including broadcaster June Sarpong and former union chief Christina McAnea.
It comes after Sir Keir signalled he could hand out resignation honours when he leaves Downing Street, despite saying in 2023 he found giving out such awards "very hard to justify".
