Reports of Sadiq Khan Joining Starmer’s Cabinet Dismissed
Allies of London Mayor Sadiq Khan have dismissed reports suggesting he could join Keir Starmer’s cabinet after being made a peer. However, it remains possible that Khan could join the House of Lords while continuing in his current role as mayor.
Downing Street described the reports that Khan might become a peer following the crucial elections in May across England, Scotland, and Wales as
“speculation”. A source also declined to comment on the matter.
Khan’s allies emphasized that any decision regarding a peerage would be made by No 10. They ruled out the possibility, cited by some, that Khan might be brought into Starmer’s cabinet after joining the House of Lords to strengthen it.
Khan’s Political Background and Potential Role
Sadiq Khan served as a London Member of Parliament for a decade before stepping down in 2016. He then won three consecutive elections to become London mayor. In this role, he has successfully courted support beyond Labour’s core base, including from the Greens and Liberal Democrats, to defeat Conservative opponents.
A role for Khan working more closely with Starmer could be presented by No 10 as the prime minister utilizing Labour’s full range of talents. This is particularly relevant given Khan’s occasional criticisms of the government. For example, he commented on the Gorton and Denton by-election losses to the Greens, emphasizing that Labour must stop taking progressive voters for granted.
Despite these possibilities, sources close to Khan stated he is committed to focusing on the remaining two years of his current mayoral term. They noted that he has not yet announced whether he intends to seek a fourth term.
Peerage and Concurrent Roles
Holding a peerage would not necessarily conflict with Khan’s current position as mayor. Khan was knighted last year. Similarly, Ben Houchen was made a peer in 2023 while serving his second term as Tees Valley mayor and later won a third term.
Houchen remains an active member of the House of Lords, though less so than some peers. In 2025, he attended 20% of Lords sittings and spoke once in the chamber.
Upcoming Peerage Changes and House of Lords Composition
A new wave of peerages is expected soon, partly due to a reported plan allowing the Conservatives to reinstate about 15 hereditary peers as life members of the Lords. The 92 remaining hereditary members lost their places after reforms aimed at removing them.
By the end of last year, Starmer had created 96 new peers, 65 of whom were Labour members. This was partly an effort to facilitate the passage of legislation through the upper house. The House of Lords currently has 868 members, with 842 active, making it the second largest legislative chamber globally after China’s National People’s Congress.
