Until 2014, Anderson served as chair of the Labour Friends of Iraq group, a body dedicated to supporting ordinary Iraqis as they attempt to rebuild their lives.

[2] In a 2008 interview with SOMA Digest Anderson urged the implementation of article 140 of the Iraqi constitution regarding the normalisation process of Kirkuk and other formerly Arabised towns.

Anderson was nominated as the Parliamentary Champion for Education and Sport by the anti-racist group Show Racism The Red Card.

He was one of 16 signatories of an open letter to Ed Miliband in January 2015, calling on the party to commit to oppose further austerity, take rail franchises back into public ownership and strengthen collective bargaining arrangements.

[5] On 1 July he was made Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland, replacing Ian Murray who had resigned five days earlier.