Sadiq Khan given seat in Lords, as Starmer creates 26 new peers days before he leaves No 10
Pippa Crerar
Pippa Crerar is the Guardian’s political editor.
Sadiq Khan has been given a peerage by Keir Starmer just days before the prime minister stands down, potentially opening the door to one of Labour’s most high profile mayors joining Andy Burnham’s cabinet in future.
While Burnham and Khan have worked closely together over the years, the Guardian understands the London mayor has told the PM-in-waiting he has no wish to be a minister in his government right now. Sources close to the mayor said he was committed to focusing on the last two years of his current term, and has not yet announced whether he wants to seek a fourth term in 2028.
Burnham has previously called for an overhaul of the House of Lords, proposing to turn the second chamber into a ‘senate of regions and nations’, with seats for the country’s metro mayors, presumably also including London.
Downing Street sources suggested Khan’s elevation comes as part of a regular honours list, rather than being linked specifically to Starmer’s departure. But the timing is unusual, with peerages usually tied to political events and most commonly appearing in spring or autumn.
It comes after Starmer signalled last week that he could hand out resignation honours when he leaves Downing Street, despite pledging three years ago he would not do so when he eventually stood down.
The full list of 26 people getting peerages is here.
Key events
Councils claim shake-up will require extra funding because Reed planning more new bodies than had been expected
Jonathan Carr-West, chief executive of the LGIU local government thinktank, said in a statement on today’s reorganisation announcement (see 1.50pm) that in deciding how to replace two-tier councils with unitary authorities the government has “in general opted for more, smaller councils rather than fewer, larger ones”.
Carr-West did not make a value judgment about this. “What matters is not how big a council is, but how well it works,” he said.
But the County Councils Network, representing county councils that will be scrapped in the form in which they now exist, is more critical of this aspect of the reorganisation. In a statement, Sean Matthews, its chair elect, said:
Today’s decisions show how far ministers have departed from the statutory criteria and programme’s original aims. Whilst larger unitary councils will be created in some areas, most will see city and urban areas carved out and the creation of multiple smaller authorities in others. With unprecedented levels of splitting services and boundary change, this approach will inevitably end up costing local taxpayers more while causing greater fragmentation and upheaval to services for the most vulnerable – with new rural councils potentially most exposed to significant additional costs and service risks …
If these decisions ultimately proceed to implementation, CCN and its member councils will do all they can to ensure the establishment of safe and legal authorities. But it is now abundantly clear that the government will have no choice but to provide a more significant injection of funding than announced today to ensure many of these new councils are not reliant on exceptional financial support from day one.
Matthews is the Reform UK leader of Lincolnshire county council.
Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, is complaining that his party has not been given any seats in the House of Lords. (See 4.31pm.) He says:
The House of Lords appointments are the uniparty writ large.
Once again there is nothing for Reform and we get an even more unrepresentative upper house.
Andy Burnham is on the cusp of becoming prime minister without having set out a detailed policy agenda. While he has discussed in broad terms how he wants to change Britain, we don’t know much about the specifics.
But we did learn a bit more about him this afternoon when he released a video on TikTok setting out his likes and dislikes. It turns out he’s against: single-file queing at bars, playing loud music on public transport, having Yorkshire pudding with Christmas dinner, clapping when a plane lands, voice notes, getting phones out at gigs, and people leaving football matches early.
And he is in favour of: taking your shoes of when you enter the house, and (most controversially) adding milk first when making tea. “It softens the teabag,” he claims.
My colleague Pippa Crerar is not impressed; she says videos like this are fine, but a bit of “proper scrutiny” should come first.
Ministers propose ban on sale of loudest fireworks to protect residents, pets and wild animals
Ministers are proposing to ban the sale of the loudest fireworks to individuals to protect the interests of families, pets and wild animals.
Announcing a consultation, Kate Dearden, the consumer protection minister, said that professionals would still be able to buy these fireworks for displays. But the loudest fireworks would not be on sale generally.
She said:
Extremely loud fireworks used by individuals at all hours of the day and night has become a nightmare for many communities in recent years. The sound of large explosions on residential streets is a cause of fear, disrupted sleep, and does huge harm to our beloved pets. It is a practice that also often goes alongside wider forms of anti-social behaviour.
Fireworks used properly are great fun, and we want the professional displays which bring communities together to continue. That’s why we’re looking to limit the sale of loud fireworks only to these displays, and take them out of the hands of those who use them irresponsibly. This will crack down on anti-social behaviour and protect Britain’s pets.
Who are the 26 people getting peerages?
Here are the new peerages announced today.
Labour peers
1) Alison Garnham – Chief Executive, Child Poverty Action Group.
2) Alison Lowe OBE – Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime in West Yorkshire.
3) Barbara Mills KC – Chair of the Bar Council of England and Wales (2025), family law barrister and Joint Head of Chambers at 4PB.
4) Cathy Ashley OBE – Chief Executive of Family Rights Group and former Chair of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust.
5) Christina McAnea – Former General Secretary of UNISON.
6) June Sarpong OBE – Broadcaster, charity campaigner and social equity advocate.
7) The Rt Hon Ken Macintosh DL – Former Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament.
8) Kitty Ussher – British economist, former Member of Parliament for Burnley and former Economic Secretary to the Treasury.
9) Marcus Davey CBE – Former CEO and Artistic Director of the Roundhouse.
10) Martin McTague OBE – National Chair of the Federation of Small Businesses.
11) Nick Stace OBE – Chief Global Impact Officer at Howden Group.
12) Parvais Jabbar MBE – Human rights expert, co-founder and Co-Executive Director of The Death Penalty Project.
13) Roberto Neri – CEO of The Ivors Academy and a Director of UK Music.
14) The Rt Hon Sir Sadiq Khan – Mayor of London and former Member of Parliament for Tooting.
15) Saul Lehrfreund MBE – Human rights expert, co-founder and Co-Executive Director of The Death Penalty Project.
16) Tim J Smith CBE – Former Chief Executive of the Food Standards Agency.
Lib Dem peers
1) Dave McCobb – Liberal Democrat Director of Field Campaigns. Former Hull City Councillor of 22 years.
2) Hannah Kitching – Chair of the Yorkshire Liberal Democrats and Town Mayor of Penistone. Former NHS physiotherapist and Barnsley councillor.
3) Julia Aglionby – Executive Director of the Foundation for Common Land. Agricultural valuer and former Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate.
4) Mark Petterson – Director of Warwick Energy Limited. Pioneer of UK offshore wind and long-standing adviser to the Liberal Democrats.
5) Dr Tim Leunig – Chief Economist at Nesta and Visiting Professor at LSE. Former senior civil servant and economic adviser.
Tory peers
1) David Ross – Entrepreneur and Philanthropist. Co-Founder of Carphone Warehouse, Sponsor and Chair of David Ross Education Trust, Founder of the Nevill Holt Festival and former Chair of the National Portrait Gallery.
2) General Sir Patrick Sanders KCB CBE DSO – Lately Chief of the General Staff, British Army.
3) Professor Swaran Singh – Professor of Social and Community Psychiatry, University of Warwick; Consultant Psychiatrist, Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust and former Equality and Human Rights Commissioner.
My colleague Peter Walker has been checking Ross’s record as a donor to the party.
Also getting a peerage, for the Tories, is businessman David Ross. He has donated just under £1.5m to the party in a whole series of donations since 2001, so patience does finally pay off.
Crossbench peers
1) The Rt Hon Sir Brian Leveson – Investigatory Powers Commissioner. Former President of the Queen’s Bench Division and Lord Justice of Appeal. Former Chair of the Sentencing Council and Chair of the Leveson Inquiry into the Culture, Practices and Ethics of the Press.
2) Sir Chris Wormald KCB – Former Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service.
Foreign Office accused of abandoning countries ‘on frontlines of conflict and climate crisis’ as details of aid cuts revealed
The Foreign Office has announced details of its aid cuts over the next three years.
The figures are set out in its annual report, which fleshes out in detail the impact of cuts already announced by the government. Keir Starmer announced huge cuts to aid spending last year to free up more money for defence.
Commenting on today’s figures, Monica Harding, the Lib Dem international development spokesperson, said:
The government has announced the details of its reduced UK aid budget, outlining the funds allocated to each country.
The latest figures make grim reading, with a 56% cut to Africa, 39% to Afghanistan and 55% to Syria …
UK aid and development saves lives, promotes Britain’s influence, while also keeping us safe here in the UK. The government’s short-term decisions to slash aid only makes us more vulnerable here at home.
I urge the new prime minister to change course and repair the damage these cuts have already done.
He has a chance to turn things around, but time is running out
Romilly Greenhill, CEO of Bond, a network of aid organisations, said in a statement:
By slashing UK aid funding to countries like Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Uganda, this Labour government is abandoning communities on the frontlines of conflict and the climate crisis and risks plunging these countries populations into poverty and instability.
While the foreign secretary has repeatedly stated that fragile and conflict affected countries will be prioritised and protected such as OPT [the occupied Palestinian territories], Sudan and Ukraine, cuts to countries such as Afghanistan, DRC, Myanmar, Somalia and Syria tell a different story.
Here is an extract from the Bond briefing itemising the cuts set out in the Foreign Office document.
-Malawi will see a gradual cut by 90% in comparison to pre-cut levels, from £50mn in 2025/26, to £20mn in 2026/27, £10mn in 2027/28 to only £5mn in 2028/29.
-Mozambique will also see gradual reduction by 90% in comparison to pre-cut levels, from £50.5mn in 2025/26, to £27.8mn in 2026/27, £15.9mn in 2027/28 to only £5mn in 2028/29.
-Rwanda will see a gradual reduction by 83% in comparison to pre-cut levels, from £28mn in 2025/26, to £12mn in 2026/27, £6.6mn in 2027/28 to £5mn in 2028/29.
-Sierra Leone will see gradual cuts by 83% from pre-cut levels, from £16mn in 2025/26, to £9mn in 2026/27 and then £5mn from 2027/28 onwards.
-Somalia will see a gradual reduction by 49% from pre-cut levels, from £107mn in 2025/26, to £69.2mn from 2026/27 onwards.
-Uganda will see a 59% gradual cut in comparison to pre-cut levels, from £43mn in 2025/26, to £20mn in 2026/27, and £18mn from 2027/28 onwards.
Sadiq Khan given seat in Lords, as Starmer creates 26 new peers days before he leaves No 10
Pippa Crerar
Pippa Crerar is the Guardian’s political editor.
Sadiq Khan has been given a peerage by Keir Starmer just days before the prime minister stands down, potentially opening the door to one of Labour’s most high profile mayors joining Andy Burnham’s cabinet in future.
While Burnham and Khan have worked closely together over the years, the Guardian understands the London mayor has told the PM-in-waiting he has no wish to be a minister in his government right now. Sources close to the mayor said he was committed to focusing on the last two years of his current term, and has not yet announced whether he wants to seek a fourth term in 2028.
Burnham has previously called for an overhaul of the House of Lords, proposing to turn the second chamber into a ‘senate of regions and nations’, with seats for the country’s metro mayors, presumably also including London.
Downing Street sources suggested Khan’s elevation comes as part of a regular honours list, rather than being linked specifically to Starmer’s departure. But the timing is unusual, with peerages usually tied to political events and most commonly appearing in spring or autumn.
It comes after Starmer signalled last week that he could hand out resignation honours when he leaves Downing Street, despite pledging three years ago he would not do so when he eventually stood down.
The full list of 26 people getting peerages is here.
Lisa O’Carroll
Lisa O’Carroll is a senior Guardian correspondent covering post-Brexit issues.
Nick Thomas-Symonds is hoping to stay in post as EU relations minister in the new Andy Burnham cabinet.
EU diplomats also believe he has a decent chance, given that Burnham has no desire to introduce uncertainty to the repaired relations with the EU.
Speaking at an event marking his departure and retirement, the EU ambassador to the UK, Pedro Serrano, said the “remarkable … progress” in transforming the shattered relations with the UK after Brexit had been partly down to the “direct involvement” of Thomas-Symonds.
He said the next EU-UK summit would mark the conclusion of several key agreements developed under Keir Starmer.
Thomas-Symonds spoke of the “legacy of cooperation” he had built with the EU over the last three years (including when Labour was in opposition). “We look ahead to the next summit, where we continue to deliver on the issues that matter to citizens and to businesses,” he said.
And, while I’m plugging Guardian content on Andy Burnham, do read the first instalment of Daniel Boffey’s excellent long profile of Burnham. This is how it starts.
Andy Burnham had emerged victorious, but niggling doubts remained about his mandate. It was the summer of 1987 and the 17-year-old had represented Labour in a school hustings as Margaret Thatcher and Neil Kinnock were battling it out in that year’s general election.
“Andy was standing against another guy, a really nice guy who was the Conservative candidate,” said Steve Harrington, a former English teacher at St Aelred’s Catholic high school, in Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside. “Andy gave a speech, which was excellent, then the other guy came on to make his speech and Andy’s fans – unbeknown to Andy – snatched the plug out of the microphone. So they couldn’t hear what he was saying. Andy won by a landslide. Having said that, he probably would have anyway, as it was a heavily Labour area … But he was innocent, he hadn’t been involved in [the prank] and wouldn’t have been.”
If there was a whiff of illegitimacy to Burnham’s first election, his uncontested selection by the Labour party to be the UK’s next prime minister now leaves him with a particularly fraught task: create the change he has promised without clear electoral backing. He will need to outline a vision more sharply than the outgoing prime minister, Keir Starmer, defying his critics’ caricature of him as a man without principle: a “Captain Flip-flop”.
(Do read the second instalment too – but it’s not out yet.)
The latest episode of the Guardian’s Politics Weekly UK is out. It features Pippa Crerar and Kiran Stacey talking about Shabana Mahmood being lined up to be Andy Burnham’s chancellor.
MI5 lied about relations with neo-Nazi informant, watchdog says
MI5 has been reprimanded by a watchdog for lying about its relationship with a neo-Nazi informant, who had exploited his role with the spy agency to violently threaten his girlfriend. Dan Sabbagh has the story.
Tories accuse Reed of ‘gerrymandering local government for party political advantage’
The Tories have claimed that Steve Reed’s council reorganisation for England (see 1.50pm) is designed to help Labour.
James Cleverly, the shadow local government secretary, said:
The maps speak for themselves: these top-down changes are purely partisan.
Having tried and failed to cancel local elections two years running, Steve Reed is once again fiddling with democracy. His legacy will be one of taking power away from local communities, imposing an unfair funding review on councils, and gerrymandering local government for party political advantage.
As an example, the Tories said Reed was expanding the boundaries under Labour control like Exeter city council, Plymouth city council and Lincoln city council.
