London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan has been appointed to the House of Lords as part of a new list of peerages approved in one of Sir Keir Starmer’s final decisions before leaving Downing Street.
The move sees Khan join 15 Labour nominees, alongside appointments from the Conservative Party, Liberal Democrats and the crossbenches.
Despite becoming a life peer, Sir Sadiq is expected to continue serving as Mayor of London rather than stepping down from City Hall.
Dual Role Could Spark Fresh Debate
The decision is likely to attract political attention because Sir Sadiq will hold both positions simultaneously. While entering the House of Lords, he is not expected to accept a ministerial role under incoming Prime Minister Andy Burnham, according to reports.
Like other life peers, he will be eligible to claim a tax-free daily attendance allowance of £390 for sitting days in the Lords.
With the upper chamber typically sitting around 150 days each year, questions have already been raised about whether the mayor will accept the allowance in addition to his current salary of approximately £170,000.
His office has not yet confirmed whether he intends to claim the payment or donate it to charity.
Starmer’s Final Peerage List Includes High-Profile Figures
Sir Keir’s nominations feature a mix of politicians, public servants, campaigners and industry leaders.
Among those receiving peerages are broadcaster and social campaigner June Sarpong, former UNISON General Secretary Christina McAnea, Child Poverty Action Group chief executive Alison Garnham, former Scottish Parliament Presiding Officer Ken Macintosh, economist Kitty Ussher, Federation of Small Businesses chair Martin McTague, and several legal, human rights and arts figures.
The appointments also include Roberto Neri of The Ivors Academy, former Food Standards Agency chief Tim J. Smith, and human rights advocates Parvais Jabbar and Saul Lehrfreund.
Other Parties Also Secure New Lords Appointments
Outside Labour’s nominations, the Conservatives have named three new peers, including former Chief of the General Staff General Sir Patrick Sanders and Carphone Warehouse co-founder David Ross.
The Liberal Democrats secured five appointments, with nominees including agricultural economist Julia Aglionby, economist Tim Leunig, campaign director Dave McCobb, physiotherapist and former councillor Hannah Kitching, and offshore wind entrepreneur Mark Petterson.
Former Court of Appeal judge Sir Brian Leveson, known for leading the Leveson Inquiry into media standards, has also been appointed as a crossbench peer.
Notably, Reform UK did not receive any appointments in the latest list.
Questions Remain Over Burnham’s Position on the Lords
The timing of the appointments has prompted speculation about how incoming Prime Minister Andy Burnham views the expansion of the House of Lords.
Burnham has repeatedly argued that the current unelected upper chamber should be reformed, describing the system as outdated.
He has previously proposed replacing it with a more representative elected senate for the UK’s regions and nations and recently suggested he would not rule out introducing changes early in his premiership.
Reports also suggest Burnham has explored the idea of giving metro mayors seats in the upper chamber as part of broader constitutional reforms.
Sadiq Khan Pledges Full Commitment to London
Responding to the appointment, a spokesperson for Sir Sadiq said becoming Mayor of London remains the greatest privilege of his public career and insisted his priority would continue to be serving Londoners.
The statement said Khan remains committed to creating a fairer, safer and greener capital while expanding opportunities for residents, adding that he intends to devote the same energy to City Hall despite taking his seat in the House of Lords.
The mayor has not yet announced whether he plans to seek a fourth term in office.
Government Praises Khan’s Record
A government source described the peerage as well deserved, crediting Sir Sadiq with improving London during his time as mayor.
The source pointed to reductions in violent crime, cleaner air initiatives, delivery of the Elizabeth Line and renewed council house construction as key achievements under his leadership.
June Sarpong Among Prominent Labour Allies Honoured
One of the highest-profile appointments is broadcaster June Sarpong, who has long supported Labour and campaigned for Sir Keir Starmer during the general election.
Sarpong is also known to have a close friendship with Lady Victoria Starmer and previously dated senior Labour figure David Lammy during the 2000s.
Resignation Honours Question Still Unanswered
The latest peerages are separate from any possible resignation honours list Sir Keir may choose to issue after leaving office.
The uncertainty has attracted attention because Starmer had previously criticised the long-standing tradition of outgoing prime ministers rewarding political allies with honours.
When Boris Johnson published his resignation honours in 2023, Starmer publicly stated he would not follow the same path, arguing such awards were difficult to justify and that recognition could be given through other honours systems instead.
Downing Street has yet to confirm whether Sir Keir intends to reverse that earlier position by releasing a separate resignation honours list in the coming months.
