Sir Keir Starmer has chosen 26 new members of the House of Lords as one of his last actions as prime minister, before leaving office on Monday. London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan is among them (BBC News).

The House of Lords is the UK parliament's second chamber. Its members, called peers, are not elected by the public — they are appointed, usually for life. Downing Street published the list and described the appointments as "political peerages," saying the King "has been graciously pleased to signify his intention of conferring peerages" (gov.uk). The nominations were being worked on before Starmer announced his resignation as Labour leader last month.

The list includes 16 Labour nominees: Khan, broadcaster June Sarpong, and former union leader Christina McAnea among them. The Liberal Democrats received five nominations. The Conservatives received three, including former army head General Sir Patrick Sanders and Carphone Warehouse co-founder David Ross. Two people were named as cross-bench peers — members who belong to no political party: former cabinet secretary Sir Chris Wormald and retired senior judge Sir Brian Leveson (BBC News).

Reform UK received no peerages in the list published on Thursday.

Khan's appointment stands out because of when it is happening. Andy Burnham is due to become the next prime minister on Monday when Starmer formally leaves office. The BBC understands that Khan is not seeking a government job under Burnham. He has not yet decided whether to run for a fourth term as London mayor in 2028 (BBC News).

The House of Lords has grown significantly lately. According to the UK Parliament website, 117 new members have joined since 1 January 2025 (UK Parliament). This latest group will add to that number once the appointments are made official.

Wormald and Leveson bring serious experience to the chamber. Wormald was cabinet secretary — the most senior civil servant in the country. Leveson is a retired judge who led a well-known inquiry into press standards and ethics.

For the Liberal Democrats, five nominees is a solid allocation for a party that has spent the last parliament rebuilding its presence. The Conservative nominees come from military, business, and academic backgrounds.

The list was published just before Starmer's departure, placing it in the gap between his government and the next one. The nominations were prepared before he announced his resignation, so the process began before the leadership contest that chose Burnham as his successor. The new prime minister will inherit a House of Lords shaped, in part, by his predecessor's final decisions.

For Khan, the peerage gives him a seat in the Lords without a specific government role. His choice about running for a fourth mayoral term in 2028 is still open, and the Lords seat gives him a voice in Westminster regardless of that decision.