Michael Marra has been elected leader of Scottish Labour, succeeding Anas Sarwar. The party confirmed that Marra, a regional MSP for North East Scotland, defeated Joe Fagan in a ballot of Scottish Labour members.
Marra received 4,266 votes, or 63%, to Fagan’s 2,485 votes, or 37%. Turnout was 6,751.
He becomes the 11th leader of Scottish Labour. He takes charge months after the party’s worst Holyrood election, in which it returned just 17 MSPs in May.
Marra first entered the Scottish Parliament in 2021 as a list MSP for North East Scotland. He previously served as Scottish Labour’s shadow education secretary and shadow finance secretary. He also played a pivotal role in drawing up the party’s 2026 election manifesto, according to the party.
Before entering Holyrood, Marra was a Labour councillor in Dundee.
The leadership contest was decided by a membership ballot. Sarwar had led Scottish Labour since 2021. Marra will now lead the party as it seeks to rebuild following the May election result.