Anas Sarwar resigns as Scottish Labour leader and prepares to leave Holyrood after agreeing to join the UK government of Andy Burnham. Multiple reports say Burnham plans to appoint Sarwar as a minister, with coverage specifying a role in the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade. Because Sarwar is not an MP, he is set to take a seat in the House of Lords, reportedly as a life peer, to enable him to serve in government. Several outlets describe the move as controversial within Scottish Labour, citing anger among some Labour MPs and criticism from rivals and colleagues who call him a “chancer” and raise allegations about how the decision is handled and communicated. Coverage also links the timing to Sarwar’s position following Labour’s poor results in the Scottish Parliament elections, when the party is reported to have suffered its worst-ever performance and saw its number of MSPs fall to 17. With Sarwar stepping down, Scottish Labour begins a search for a new leader, with questions raised about the party’s next leadership process and internal direction.