Michael Marra Announced as New Scottish Labour Leader
By David Wallace Lockhart, Scotland Political Correspondent
Published 18 September 2026, Updated 6 minutes ago
Michael Marra has been elected as the next Scottish Labour leader. He secured 4266 votes, surpassing Joe Fagan's 2485. Almost half of party members participated in the leadership contest.
Marra assumes leadership following Anas Sarwar's decision to resign and accept a seat in the House of Lords.
"It is the honour of my life to be elected leader of the Scottish Labour Party," Marra stated after the votes were tallied. "I am grateful for your trust and will dedicate myself fully to advancing our cause of a fairer, more equal Scotland."
He thanked his opponents, Fagan and Monica Lennon, praising their ideas for party reform. Marra acknowledged Fagan's argument for decentralized politics and local community control, while also highlighting Lennon's call to reconnect with the trade union movement.
Marra inherits a party that suffered a significant setback in May's Scottish Parliament election, securing only 17 MSPs—the joint second-largest group at Holyrood alongside Reform UK. He faces challenges in making Labour relevant again and bridging the gap with their SNP rivals.
Anas Sarwar, who fell short of becoming first minister, left politics to accept a peerage and join Andy Burnham's government. He announced his departure from the Scottish Parliament and acknowledged the irony of accepting a position that he had previously criticized.
Challenges Ahead
According to pollster Mark Diffley, Marra must make Labour relevant again, forge a connection with popular Prime Minister (at the time of writing), and develop appealing policies to stand out in the political landscape.