Labour peer Baroness Harman has sparked controversy after seemingly suggesting a House of Lords seat for a former Labour council leader just days after the party lost control of Oldham council.
The veteran Labour figure, who recently returned to frontline politics as one of Sir Keir Starmer’s advisers, faced criticism over a social media exchange with Arooj Shah, the outgoing leader of Oldham council.
Ms Shah stepped down after Labour suffered heavy losses in the borough, where Reform UK and pro-Palestine independents made major gains at the ballot box.
Following the election defeat, the former council leader posted a statement on X insisting Labour would not enter into agreements with rival groups, branding them “toxic” and “divisive”.
Baroness Harman then appeared to publicly reply with a short message saying: “Hi. Hope all good with you. For next Lords list? H.”
The message was later deleted, but not before it had been screenshotted and shared online by former Labour adviser Matthew Torbitt.
The exchange quickly prompted accusations that Labour figures were privately discussing honours and peerages.
Shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy accused Labour of attempting to reward political allies with seats in the upper chamber.
He said the incident showed Labour had “learned nothing” and accused ministers of trying to pack the House of Lords with supporters.
Mr Timothy wrote: “Fresh from the Peter Mandelson scandal, they are now trying to stuff the House of Lords with more of their cronies.
“And in this case, it seems the target is the ousted leader of Oldham council, where questions remain about the authority’s turning a blind eye to the despicable crimes of the rape gangs.
“Britain deserves better than this miserable, failing government.”
The row comes amid continuing scrutiny of Oldham council’s handling of historic child sexual exploitation cases.
An independent review published in 2022 found serious failings by both Oldham council and Greater Manchester Police in their response to grooming gang offences between 2011 and 2014.
The report concluded that vulnerable girls had been badly failed by public authorities.
Although Ms Shah was serving as a councillor during that period, she was not council leader when the findings were published.
Earlier this year, councillors in Oldham unanimously backed calls for a statutory public inquiry into child sexual exploitation in the borough.
The controversy also comes weeks before publication of the King’s Birthday Honours list.
Reports have suggested Labour MP Jim McMahon, another former leader of Oldham council, is expected to receive a knighthood.
Downing Street has insisted Baroness Harman has no involvement in decisions relating to honours or peerages.
The peer was appointed over the weekend as the Government’s adviser on violence against women and girls in what officials described as an unpaid, part-time role.
Baroness Harman was approached for comment.
