Scottish Labour MSP Joe Fagan has announced that he will run in the party’s leadership race. Fagan, the MSP for South Scotland and a former council leader, said Andy Burnham’s recent by-election victory in Makerfield showed Labour could "win back trust" when it was "serious about changing people's lives".
Michael Marra, Scottish Labour’s finance spokesperson, and incoming Glasgow MSP Monica Lennon have also entered the contest. Last Wednesday, Anas Sarwar confirmed he was stepping down as leader to become Minister of State for Trade in Burnham’s government.
Who could be the new Scottish Labour leader?
Joe Fagan, Michael Marra and Monica Lennon are among the contenders who have now declared their interest in leading Scottish Labour. Fagan is Scottish Labour’s public finance and local government spokesperson.
He led South Lanarkshire Council for four years from 2022, recently stepping down after winning a seat at Holyrood.
What is Joe Fagan’s case for the leadership?
Fagan said Scottish Labour should focus on lessons from places where it has won rather than only where it has lost.
"Scottish Labour needs to learn lessons from where we have won, not just where we have lost.
"Andy Burnham's by-election victory in Makerfield and our own successes in South Lanarkshire show that Labour can win back trust when we are rooted in communities and serious about changing people's lives.
"The lesson is simple: people will listen to Scottish Labour again when we stop sounding like a party talking to itself and start proving that we are on their side."
He highlighted his work at South Lanarkshire Council, including making swimming free for under 16s and securing pay deals for the home care workforce.
"I am not here to wait around. As my track record shows, I am here to get things done."
When will Scottish Labour have a new leader?
Sarwar, who has led the Scottish Labour Party since 2021, said he would work with his successor to serve people in Scotland. The party’s ruling body, the Scottish Executive Committee, said a new leader would be in place by its conference on 19 September.
Nominations will formally open for two weeks on Monday 3 August, and party members and supporters will be balloted on the leadership race from 28 August until 17 September.
After stepping down, Sarwar said in a statement on social media that he was "delighted" to join the UK government and that it had been "an honour" to serve people in Glasgow, where he was an MSP, and across Scotland.
King Charles confirmed Sarwar would be granted a peerage so he could join the House of Lords.
Sarwar’s decision was criticised by opposition politicians, who called it "hypocritical" because he had previously called for the House of Lords to be scrapped.
He said he was "disappointed and sorry" for Scottish Labour’s poor performance in the Scottish Parliament elections in May, adding: "I take my fair share of responsibility for that." Scottish Labour won just 17 seats out of 129, a record low for the party.
- Scottish Labour leadership race
- Anas Sarwar
- Joe Fagan
- Michael Marra
- Monica Lennon
