Two Holyrood politicians, Michael Marra and Joe Fagan, are the final contenders in the race to become the next leader of Scottish Labour, a post so demanding that outgoing leader Anas Sarwar once called it
the hardest job in British politics. Both men sat down separately for the Scotcast podcast to discuss their personal backgrounds, where they believe the party has stumbled, and how they would try to turn its fortunes around.
The contest was triggered after Sarwar stepped down, a move covered in earlier reporting on how Michael Marra entered the race to lead Scottish Labour alongside Monica Lennon, before Joe Fagan joined the contest as a third candidate. Nominations then formally opened, with all three in the running, as detailed in coverage of how nominations opened in the Scottish Labour leadership race.
How did the race take shape?
According to the BBC's reporting, Marra and Fagan secured enough backing to reach the ballot while Lennon fell short of the required nominations, a development already outlined in our earlier coverage of how Marra and Fagan advanced while Lennon was eliminated. The contest was formally opened on 3 August 2026, with nominations closing on 17 August 2026, according to the same report.
The vacancy at the top of the party emerged after Sarwar's exit from Holyrood, which coincided with his move into a peerage and a ministerial role, according to reporting from the Telegraph. In the interim, Jackie Baillie has served as acting leader while the party works through its selection process, per the BBC.
What did the candidates say about Sarwar's tenure?
The most striking comments came from Fagan, the South of Scotland MSP, who questioned the optics of Sarwar leaving his Glasgow Holyrood seat for a seat in the House of Lords. He said he wished his predecessor well personally but suggested the switch
wasn't a good look. Fagan added that he would never take a seat in the Lords himself, partly because he considers the ceremonial robes
ridiculous, though he admitted turning down a ministerial offer from the prime minister would be a hard call to make.
Marra offered a milder critique, praising Sarwar's work ethic and communication skills but arguing the party had become too dependent on one figure. He said Labour had
lost definition as to who the Labour Party isand had grown
too narrow in our leadership and the circle of influence around the leader. Several party insiders have privately echoed that view, describing the recent approach as overly presidential rather than built around a broader team of spokespeople.
Where do the candidates stand on independence?
Neither man showed much appetite for engaging with arguments inside the party for opening talks on a second independence referendum, even though some Labour figures believe the debate can no longer be avoided. Fagan argued it would be
obviousonce public opinion had genuinely shifted, insisting Scotland has not reached that point. He described process arguments around triggering another vote as a leftover of the
Sturgeon era, a period he said was now
history.
Marra said he was unclear on what mechanism would even trigger a fresh referendum, arguing voters are far more focused on everyday concerns such as the cost of living and the state of the NHS than on constitutional process.
How has the gender debate shaped the contest?
The leadership race took an unexpected turn when Glasgow MSP Monica Lennon, who failed to secure enough nominations to make the ballot, released a pointed statement accusing the two remaining candidates of
punching down on trans people. Both Marra and Fagan rejected the claim, though each holds firm views on gender reform.
The issue traces back to 2022, when MSPs passed legislation making it easier to change a person's legally recognised sex through a self-identification process, a bill later blocked by the UK government in a decision subsequently upheld by the courts. Labour MSPs were whipped to support the bill at the time, and some gave up spokesperson roles to vote against it. Marra reached an arrangement with Sarwar that allowed him to abstain, but he told Scotcast he had felt strongly enough about the issue that he would have been prepared to resign over it. Fagan, who was not in Holyrood at the time, said his outside view was that Labour MSPs should not have backed the bill.
What are their positions on tax and energy?
On economic policy, both candidates agreed that some Scots, particularly middle earners, are paying too much tax, though neither called for blanket cuts. Fagan suggested there was a case for widening the tax base through new measures such as environmental levies. Marra, who has a professional background in economics, said he would be open to examining a wealth tax.
On energy, both men said they support the UK government proceeding with oil and gas extraction at the Rosebank and Jackdaw fields.
What happens next in the contest?
According to the Scottish Labour leadership website, membership and affiliate hustings are scheduled to run from 18 August to 8 September 2026, with the ballot opening to eligible voters on 28 August 2026 and closing on 17 September 2026. The winner is due to be announced at a party event on 19 September 2026, the same source confirms.
Supporting nominations from councillors closed at 10:00 on 24 August 2026, three days before the ballot opened, according to the party. Voting eligibility is limited to members who joined the party on or before 24 January 2026, the same source states. In a sign of union backing during the campaign, GMB Scotland has endorsed Fagan for the leadership, according to the union's own announcement.
Some within Labour were unhappy that Lennon failed to make the ballot, arguing the contest lacks breadth, and it is hard to dismiss that criticism entirely. Marra and Fagan agree on far more than they disagree, and while both come across as thoughtful and capable communicators, Scottish Labour's electoral record makes sobering reading: the party has lost MSPs at every Holyrood election since 1999 and now holds just 17 seats, a shadow of its former dominance. Neither candidate has yet set out a clear plan for reversing that decline, though both have time before facing voters again. Whoever wins on 19 September 2026 will need to produce that plan soon, or risk becoming merely the latest leader of a party still searching for its footing in Scottish politics.
Key Facts
- Michael Marra and Joe Fagan are the two candidates on the Scottish Labour leadership ballot after Monica Lennon failed to secure sufficient nominations.
- Voting runs from 28 August 2026 to 17 September 2026, with the result due on 19 September 2026, according to the party's own timetable.
- GMB Scotland has publicly backed Joe Fagan's candidacy.
- Both candidates oppose engaging with a second independence referendum process at this stage and support extraction at the Rosebank and Jackdaw oil and gas fields.
- Scottish Labour has lost MSPs at every Holyrood election since 1999 and currently holds 17 seats.
