Michael Marra has been elected the new leader of Scottish Labour after winning 63% of the vote in a decisive victory over rival Joe Fagan.
The North East Scotland MSP received 4,266 votes, while Fagan, an MSP for South Scotland, received 2,485. A total of 6,751 votes were cast, representing a turnout of approximately 49.4% among eligible party members.
Marra succeeds Anas Sarwar and becomes Scottish Labour's 11th permanent leader since the establishment of the Scottish Parliament.
Scottish Labour leadership result
- Michael Marra: 4,266 votes — 63.19%
- Joe Fagan: 2,485 votes — 36.81%
- Total votes cast: 6,751
- Turnout: approximately 49.4%
Voting opened on 28 August following a series of hustings across Scotland. Marra and Fagan were the two candidates to secure places on the final ballot.
Marra promises to reconnect Labour with Scotland
In his victory speech, Marra said Scottish Labour needed to rebuild its relationship with communities and offer voters a clearer account of the party's purpose and values.
He promised a collective approach to the leadership, telling party members that everybody had a role in rebuilding the movement regardless of which candidate they supported.
Marra campaigned on renewing Scottish Labour, rediscovering what he called its moral purpose and building a party rooted in Scotland that could deliver change.
Who is Michael Marra?
Marra is a Dundee-born politician who represents North East Scotland in the Scottish Parliament.
Before winning the leadership, he served in senior Scottish Labour roles covering education and finance. His campaign emphasised education reform, tackling child poverty and rebuilding the party's presence within communities.
He has also supported continued development of the Rosebank oilfield and Jackdaw gasfield, arguing that domestic production can protect Scottish jobs while reducing reliance upon energy imported from overseas.
Why did Anas Sarwar stand down?
Sarwar left the Scottish Labour leadership after the party's poor performance in the May 2026 Scottish Parliament election.
Scottish Labour returned 17 MSPs, its lowest total of the devolution era. Sarwar subsequently left Holyrood, entered the House of Lords and joined Prime Minister Andy Burnham's Government as a trade minister.
Marra therefore inherits a party facing a substantial rebuilding operation before the 2027 Scottish local elections and the next Holyrood contest.
Scottish Labour faces difficult political landscape
Labour's support in Scottish Parliament elections has declined significantly since the institution was established in 1999.
Following the 2026 election, Scottish Labour holds the same number of Holyrood seats as Reform UK and remains behind the SNP. Re-establishing the party as a credible alternative government will be Marra's central task.
He will also have to manage Scottish Labour's relationship with the UK Labour Government while demonstrating that the party can take positions reflecting Scotland's political and economic circumstances.
What has Marra said about another independence referendum?
During the leadership campaign, Marra said there could be a democratic route to another Scottish independence referendum if a settled public will for one emerged.
He did not endorse treating Scotland in the same way as Northern Ireland, where the legal arrangements for a border poll are set out in the Good Friday Agreement.
Marra remains opposed to Scottish independence. However, his acknowledgement that a sufficiently clear democratic mandate could create a route to another vote will face close scrutiny from both unionists and independence supporters.
First tests for new leader
Marra's immediate challenges include uniting Scottish Labour's 17-member Holyrood group, raising his public profile and defining the party's response to the SNP Government.
He must also decide how far Scottish Labour should cooperate with ministers on issues such as child poverty while maintaining a distinct opposition programme.
The scale of his leadership-election victory gives Marra a clear internal mandate. The more difficult test will be whether he can translate support from Labour members into renewed backing from Scottish voters.