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Scottish Labour Party member Anne Murray Marra won the leadership election against Joe Fagan, securing 4,266 votes compared to Fagan's 2,485. In her victory speech, Marra acknowledged the challenge ahead and pledged to reconnect with voters across Scotland within her first 100 days as leader. She also expressed support for oil and gas projects like Rosebank and Jackdaw while advocating for reforms to the windfall tax on the industry before its scheduled phase-out in 2030, and stated that she does not believe there is widespread desire for another independence referendum currently.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-19,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
On September 23, Michael Marra was elected as the new leader of the Scottish Labour Party, succeeding Lord Sarwar. The election followed Labour's worst performance since devolution in May's Scottish Parliament elections where they won only 17 MSPs, their lowest number ever. With a turnout of nearly half its members, Marra received 4266 votes compared to Joe Fagan's 2485. As the party’s 11th leader during the devolution era, Marra faces the challenge of reversing Labour's declining fortunes in Scotland, having lost seats at every Holyrood election since 1999. He vowed to reconnect with voters and emphasized the need for Scottish Labour to be a "national party once again," focusing on values such as equality, solidarity, and good public services.
Written for “Michael Marra Elected Scottish Labour…” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 6 other(s) covering the same event.
But the new leader – who defeated fellow MSP Joe Fagan to become the 11th Scottish labour leader of the devolution era – accepted that “journey and that process will take time”.
asserted
journey → defeat → time
Mr Marra, a North East Scotland MSP who has served as his party’s education spokesperson and finance spokesperson, polled 4,266 votes from party members and affiliates, comfortably defeating Mr Fagan, who secured 2,485.
“It is the honour of my life to be elected leader of the Scottish Labour Party,” he said.
asserted
he → serve → Party
While slightly less than half of the party’s members voted – 49.4% took part in the ballot – the new leader insisted he has “a really strong mandate in terms of the share of the vote”.
asserted
he → vote → vote
Vowing to do this job the “best way I can”, Mr Marra said being elected as the new Scottish Labour leader was “a huge responsibility as well as a privilege”.
asserted
elected → vow → leader
And although he said he is “looking forward to the task ahead of me” he added he was “not naïve to the scale of the challenge”
asserted
he → say → challenge
Mr Marra takes charge of the party after it suffered a fifth consecutive Holyrood election defeat in May, with the SNP once again returned to government.
uncertain
SNP → take → government
Speaking after his election he said: “May hurt so much because we know the SNP didn’t deserve a fifth term in power.
uncertain
SNP → speak → power
“But the truth is, Scotland didn’t think we would be much better.”
asserted
we → think → ?
Labour, he insisted “must reconnect with the country if we are ever to form a government in Holyrood”.
asserted
we → insist → Holyrood
Mr Marra added: “We’ve got a big job ahead of us in terms of reconnecting right across the country and we’re going to get on with doing that job.”
asserted
we → add → job
Read More
To help with that he pledged: “In my first 100 days, I will take Scottish Labour out of the bubble of parliament and back into the country.
“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.”
asserted
they → read → future
As well as seeking to “reconnect” his party with Scots, he made it a priority to “recover Labour’s purpose and build a programme for the future”.
Speaking to journalists after the result of the leadership contest was declared, Mr Marra reiterated his support for giving both the Rosebank and Jackdaw oil and gas fields the go-ahead.
asserted
Marra → seek → ahead
“I want Rosebank and Jackdaw to be approved,” he said.
asserted
he → want → ?
But to further help the oil and gas sector he also said Andy Burnham’s Government at Westminster should reform the windfall tax on the industry “needs to happen sooner” than the planned 2030 date for the charge to be replaced.
asserted
charge → help → date
And while Scottish First Minister John Swinney is pushing for a second independence referendum before the end of this current Holyrood term in 2031, Mr Marra said he did “not believe there is a hunger for a referendum in this country”.
asserted
he → push → country
He said: “I understand why many people backed independence in 2014 and continue to do so.
“
asserted
people → say → 2014
I’m from Dundee, which backed independence at a higher level than any other part of Scotland – friends and family voted yes in 2014.”
asserted
friends → ’m → 2014
To counter support for independence he said Labour has “to make sure we make that case for a stronger Scotland”.
asserted
we → counter → Scotland
And he added: “This country has got weaker in the last 10 years, rather than stronger.
asserted
country → add → years
We have got a weaker education system, we have got a weaker NHS, we have got a weaker economy.”
asserted
we → get → economy
Defeated leadership candidate Mr Fagan meanwhile congratulated the new leader on his win.
asserted
Fagan → congratulate → win
The South of Scotland MSP added: “I look forward to working with Michael to build a party that delivers for working people.”
asserted
that → add → people
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