Sir Keir Starmer is facing questions over a previous commitment to abolish the House of Lords after reports emerged that he is preparing to offer London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan a peerage and a cabinet position following next month’s local elections.
Labour sources cited by the Financial Times said the move was being considered as a means of consolidating the Prime Minister’s political standing at a potentially difficult moment. Downing Street officials were quoted as saying the appointment would help “shore up his position with patronage” after a vote in which Labour is widely expected to face losses in the capital to both Reform UK and the Green Party.
One government figure told the newspaper that bringing Sir Sadiq “inside the tent” would “solve a lot of problems” for the Prime Minister in the aftermath of the May 7 contest.
The proposal sits awkwardly alongside Sir Keir’s prior pledge to abolish the peerage system entirely — a commitment that critics are likely to revisit should any formal offer be made.
A Downing Street spokesman moved quickly to distance the government from the reports, saying simply: “This is speculation.” The mayor’s office declined to comment directly on the matter, though an ally of Sir Sadiq said he remained “completely focused on the job of delivering for Londoners” and that peerages were ultimately a matter for the government to determine.
Whether Sir Sadiq would accept such an offer remains unclear. The mayor has publicly left open the possibility of seeking a fourth term at City Hall, telling LBC in February that he had “the best job in politics” and had already given thought to a potential 2028 campaign. His office has confirmed he has not yet announced a decision on whether he will stand again, noting this is consistent with his approach ahead of previous elections.
The local elections take place on 7 May.
