New Labour leader hopefuls lack star power as no one knows who they are

Scottish Labour Leadership Race: Marra and Fagan Face Uphill Battle for Recognition

The contest to lead Scottish Labour is underway, with MSP Michael Marra and former South Lanarkshire Council leader Joe Fagan vying to replace Anas Sarwar, who has been appointed to the House of Lords and made a UK minister. The leadership election, which will conclude next month, comes after Scottish Labour suffered its fifth consecutive defeat in May, leaving the party with 17 MSPs, tied with Reform Scotland as the joint opposition to the SNP.

Lack of Recognition Casts a Shadow

According to the Daily Record, what should keep senior figures in Scottish Labour awake at night is how little public recognition the remaining MSPs have. Anas Sarwar was a well-known face to voters, but this was not enough to convince them to make him first minister. Veteran MSP Jackie Baillie has a public profile, but she is not running, while Monica Lennon, respected for her work on period poverty, failed to win enough parliamentarian support to appear on the ballot. As a result, the next leader will be either Marra or Fagan, both of whom, as the paper noted, the vast majority of the Scottish public will likely know nothing about. That, the paper argued, is a serious problem that whoever wins will have to address quickly, especially as they will face John Swinney at First Minister's Questions in September.

Marra's Critique and Policy Proposals

At a press conference in Glasgow on Monday, Marra, who represents North East Scotland, said problems with Scottish Labour are "systemic." He argued that the party had not changed with the country since devolution, leading to six successive downturns at Holyrood. He told party members: "Dissatisfaction with Keir Starmer was a storm from which the Scottish Labour Party had failed to make itself weatherproof. That hurts, but if we're serious about recovery, we have to face up to it." He continued that there is no silver bullet, describing the problem as all the party's elements interacting with each other. His diagnosis was backed by quotes from a speech in Glasgow, as reported by Daily Record.

To bring the party closer to voters, Marra proposed regional assemblies where citizens, workers, and community organisations could influence Labour's priorities. He also advocated a cross-party commission to deliver proposals to halve child poverty by the end of the decade, and suggested a new tax on supermarkets to claw back revenue from the minimum unit pricing policy, with proceeds going to addiction services. As reported in the Evening Standard and other outlets, Marra emphasised that this is "the Scottish Labour offer to the people of Scotland that is for something, not just against something."

Marra's Openness to Deals with Other Parties

Marra announced he would be open to deals with other parties for the Scottish local elections in May 2027, aiming to "make sure that we lock out Reform from the halls of power in Scotland." Speaking to the Press Association, he described Reform as bringing "division, distrust and a brand... of right wing populism" and ruled out any deals with Reform, though he did not exclude working with other parties. The context, as noted by the Evening Standard, includes a recent comment by Marra where he said he would not accept any deals with Reform, referring to "the corruption of Reform and Nigel Farage and all that he brings." In response, Reform MSP David Smith called Marra a "Smart Price Keir Starmer" and a continuity candidate.

Fagan's Policy Focus: Social Care and Council Powers

Joe Fagan, the former South Lanarkshire Council leader, has positioned himself with specific budget tests. He has called for the Scottish Government to abandon current plans that would result in a real-terms cut in spending on social care, urging instead to increase funds by millions. He backs accepting Cosla's call for an additional £750 million for social care, but insists it must be additional. He was quoted as saying: "Councils have suffered disproportionate cuts under the SNP Government for too long." He also called for bus services to be brought back into public control and for a minimum of £15-an-hour rate for social care workers, describing these as his first two budget tests, with extra council resources as the third.

In a statement reported in Kent Online, Fagan said ministers cannot put money into social care with one hand and take it back out of the rest of local government with the other, adding that the SNP had "pulled power and resources into Holyrood while councils have been left to absorb the cuts and take the blame."

Marra's Defiance on Burnham Incident

Marra has also defended his past criticism of Andy Burnham, now the Prime Minister. He told the Daily Record that it did not say he regretted telling Burnham to "shut up" at last year's UK Labour conference, saying the message was made out of frustration that Scotland was being ignored. Marra also made it clear that Burnham would not be his boss if he wins the leadership, stating: "The boss of me will be the members of the Scottish Labour members who elect me... and beyond that, the people of Scotland." These comments have been dredged up to embarrass him since Burnham became PM.

A Critical Moment for Scottish Labour

The verdict from the Daily Record is that voters lack knowledge of both candidates and what they stand for. With the next leader set to be announced in September and to take on John Swinney at FMQs, the winner will need to offer bold policy proposals and a personality to match the scrutiny and expectations. As both candidates unveil their visions over the coming weeks, the party's recovery strategy and electoral future hinge on which one can impress and connect with the public.

Perspectives

• Michael Marra: Emphasises the systemic nature of Labour's problems and the need for the party to change, proposing open assemblies, a cross-party commission to reduce child poverty, and a minimum unit price tax. He criticizes Reform UK and is open to non-Reform alliances to counter it, while also defending his criticism of Andy Burnham and insisting the Scottish members are his only masters.
• Joe Fagan: Focuses his campaign on social care and local government, urging both Scottish Government to provide additional funding and more council powers. He criticizes the SNP for disproportionate cuts to councils and pitches his local authority experience as a mandate.
• Public/Media: Comments the low recognition of both candidates as a significant issue, questioning their ability to lead the party without prior name recognition among voters. This underscores the challenge both need to overcome to win and lead.

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