Joe Fagan becomes third MSP to join Scottish Labour leadership race

Scottish Labour MSP Joe Fagan has announced he will run in the party's leadership race.

Fagan, who represents South Scotland, said that Prime Minister Andy Burnham's recent by-election victory in Makerfield demonstrated that Labour could "win back trust" when it was "serious about changing people's lives".

Michael Marra, Scottish Labour's finance spokesperson, and incoming Glasgow MSP Monica Lennon have also thrown their hats in the ring.

Last Wednesday, Anas Sarwar confirmed he was stepping down as leader to become Minister of State for Trade in Burnham's government.

Fagan is Scottish Labour's public finance and local government spokesperson.

He led South Lanarkshire Council for four years from 2022, recently stepping down after winning a seat at Holyrood.

Setting out his case for the leadership, Fagan said: "Scottish Labour needs to learn lessons from where we have won, not just where we have lost.

"Andy Burnham's by-election victory in Makerfield and our own successes in South Lanarkshire show that Labour can win back trust when we are rooted in communities and serious about changing people's lives.

"The lesson is simple: people will listen to Scottish Labour again when we stop sounding like a party talking to itself and start proving that we are on their side."

Fagan highlighted his work in South Lanarkshire Council to make swimming free for under 16s and on pay deals for the home care workforce.

He added: "I am not here to wait around. As my track record shows, I am here to get things done."

Sarwar, who has led the Scottish Labour Party since 2021, said he would work with his successor to serve people in Scotland.

The party's ruling body, the Scottish Executive Committee, said a new leader would be in place by its conference on 19 September.

Nominations will formally open for two weeks on Monday 3 August.

Party members and supporters will be balloted on the leadership race from 28 August until 17 September.

After stepping down, Sarwar said in a statement on social media he was "delighted" to join the UK government and it had been "an honour" to serve people in Glasgow, where he was an MSP, and across Scotland.

King Charles confirmed Sarwar would be granted a peerage so he could join the House of Lords.

Sarwar's decision was criticised by opposition politicians, who called it "hypocritical" as he had previously called for the House of Lords to be scrapped.

He said he was "disappointed and sorry" for Scottish Labour's poor performance in the Scottish Parliament elections in May, adding: "I take my fair share of responsibility for that."

Scottish Labour won just 17 seats out of 129, a record low for the party.