Michael Marra announced as Scottish Labour leader

Michael Marra has been announced as Scottish Labour leader. 

He received 4,266 votes from Scottish Labour members, with Joe Fagan receiving 2,485.  

Marra described it as the “honour of my life” to lead the party.  

He replaces Anas Sarwar, who stood down from the leadership role following the worst result in the party’s history in a Scottish Parliament election, and took a seat in the House of Lords and became a UK Government trade minister.  

Following the declaration, in which almost half of party members cast a vote, Marra said: “It is the honour of my life to be elected leader of the Scottish Labour Party. 

“To be entrusted with the leadership of our Scottish Labour Party is a singular honour and a great responsibility. 

“I am grateful for your trust and take on the duty of advancing our cause of a fairer, more equal Scotland with all that I can possibly give.” 

He praised his opponents, Fagan and Monica Lennon – who did not receive the nominations required to be on the ballot – for their visions for the party.  

Marra said Fagan “argued for a politics rooted in people and place, for less control in the centre and more control for local communities”. “That should be the case in our country and in our party,” he said. 

He added: “Monica was right to say we need to reconnect with the trade union movement that birthed the Labour Party. 

“Her record delivering change through parliament is also a template for how Labour should behave in opposition – robust in our criticism of the SNP, yes, but also making our own change.” 

Marra said he will “open up the party and reconnect it with Scotland”, and “recover Labour's purpose and start building a programme for the future” and to “deliver change now”. 

He continued: “We will work with people in their communities to understand what matters most, what is changing in their lives and what they want for the future. We will bring our values to the table, but we will be led by people's priorities.”