STORY
Michael Marra has been elected as the new leader of Scottish Labour, defeating Joe Fagan by 4,266 votes to 2,485. The contest had a turnout of 49.44%, with Marra securing approximately 63% of the votes cast.
Marra succeeds Anas Sarwar following Scottish Labour’s poor performance in the May Holyrood election, when the party returned 17 MSPs. The new leader said the party needed to reconnect with working class voters and broaden its appeal beyond its existing electoral base.
The North East Scotland MSP has also backed the proposed Rosebank and Jackdaw oil and gas developments, arguing that jobs and the Scottish economy must form part of energy policy. He is expected to seek a close working relationship with Prime Minister Andy Burnham while rebuilding the party before the 2027 council elections.