Monica Lennon has announced that she will stand to become leader of Scottish Labour. The incoming Glasgow MSP said the party needed “radical and fast change” or it risked facing “oblivion”.
The move comes after Scottish Labour recorded its worst result in the history of devolution in May. Lennon, who lost her seat in this year's Holyrood election before returning to parliament after Anas Sarwar opened up a regional seat when he stepped down from Holyrood, said time away from parliament had given her “space to reflect and listen”.
She wrote in the Sunday Mail that:
“Anyone looking objectively at our party today would conclude a harsh reality. We are in the last chance saloon.”
She added:
“I've spoken with members and voters who feel disappointed, disillusioned, and defeated.
“I've heard their frustration - but I've also felt a quiet, burning determination. Crisis demands courage.”
And she said the party had
“gone backwards in every Holyrood election since 1999”.
“If we do not change - radically and fast - we face oblivion”,she said.
“That is why I am putting myself forward to lead Scottish Labour because I can't stand by and witness our terminal decline.”
Lennon also said Scottish Labour needed a
“completely new style of leadership”.
She called for a
“genuine 'big tent' approach that stops viewing internal debate as a threat and starts unleashing every talent in our party”.
“This is the fightback of our lives. We can drift into irrelevance, or we can unite, reform, and win again. I can't do it alone, but I am ready to lead that fight,”she said.
Lennon was first elected as an MSP for the Central Scotland area in 2016 and was an MSP for 10 years until she lost her seat at the May election. She spearheaded legislation that made Scotland the first country in the world to provide free period products for all, and in the last parliamentary session she campaigned for an ecocide bill.
Last month, Lennon said that Scottish Labour breaking away from the UK party should not be ruled out. Lennon, who had strongly hinted that she would run for the top job, will need to secure the required support within her party to reach the ballot, with Scottish Labour yet to confirm the rules and timetable for the contest.
The politician previously ran for the party leadership in 2021 but lost to Anas Sarwar. She is the first to officially launch her bid for the leadership.
Who are the potential leadership contenders?
Dame Jackie Baillie, who became acting leader following Anas Sarwar's resignation, has previously indicated she does not want the role on a permanent basis. The Dumbarton MSP has served continuously at Holyrood since the Scottish Parliament was established in 1999.
Other names linked to the contest include Michael Marra, the MSP for North East Scotland, who is seen by some within the party as a potential successor. Elected in 2021, he played a key role in developing Scottish Labour's manifesto for this year's election.
Edinburgh Southern MSP Daniel Johnson has also been mentioned as a possible contender. He currently serves as the party's shadow economy secretary and nominated Sarwar when he successfully ran for the leadership in 2021.
Glasgow regional MSP Paul Sweeney is another figure whose name has been linked to the race. He has represented the Glasgow region since 2021 and previously served as MP for Glasgow North East.
Monica Lennon has gone from facing the end of her political career to potentially being the next Scottish Labour leader in a matter of months. During her time at Holyrood she was a popular MSP who worked effectively across parties.
Now that she's heading back to parliament, she would have been seen as one of the more obvious candidates for a leadership bid.
She definitely has her wing in the party. Monica Lennon drove forward policies that went down well with party members - such as spearheading plans for free period products across Scotland.
But she's also got some views which may not chime with all members - such as being sympathetic to the idea of splitting away from UK Labour.
It feels like there will definitely be a contest. Party insiders expect the finance spokesperson Michael Marra to launch a bid. Others may throw their hat in the ring.
Monica Lennon on replacing Anas Sarwar
Scottish Labour's Monica Lennon is unexpectedly returning to the Scottish Parliament after Anas Sarwar quit Holyrood for the House of Lords. We ask her whether about succeeding Sarwar as party leader as well as an MSP.
We discuss the likely contenders vying to succeed Sarwar as Scottish Labour leader.
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