Oldham boss ‘categorically denies’ being offered spot in House of Lords

Oldham boss coun Arooj Shah has ‘categorically denied’ being offered a spot in the House of Lords by one of the Prime Minister’s political advisers after announcing her decision to step down. 

Screenshots of a deleted tweet appeared to show Baroness Harriet Harman, Sir Keir Starmer’s Special Envoy for Women and Girls, suggesting Coun Shah ‘for next Lords list’. It was widely circulated on social media and came in answer to Coun Shah’s statement announcing her resignation as town hall boss on May 20. 

Baroness Harman appeared to have written: “Hi. Hope all good with you. For next Lords list? H. Coun Shah responded: “Yes.” 
Baroness Harman’s post was deleted shortly later.  Her parliamentary office did not respond to a request for comment. 

Coun Shah told the LDRS it was ‘absolutely not’ true she had been offered a place in the House of Lords. A spokesperson said any rumours were ‘categorically untrue’. 

A Labour spokesperson said: “We are not aware of any nominations in the King’s Birthday honours list and Arooj was elected unopposed as leader of the Labour Group yesterday, affirming her commitment to providing effective and constructive opposition to any incoming administration on Oldham Council.”

The exchange came as Coun Shah confirmed she would be stepping down from her leadership position next week, leaving the town’s remaining political groups scrambling to form a working majority to take over the running of the council. Following a ‘devastating’ result for the Labour group at the local elections last week, only 18 Labour members remain in the council, while Reform UK have jumped up to 16 representatives, and the Oldham Group have 10. 

Negotiations are currently underway between the different factions in the council, with Labour sources indicating they are resolved to ‘step back’ into opposition, after the town ‘made it clear they don’t want a Labour administration’. 

While she will no longer run the council, coun Shah was reconfirmed as the Labour group leader on Monday, May 12.