Michael Marra has been elected as the new leader of Scottish Labour, taking over after Anas Sarwar resigned to join Andy Burnham's government in England. Sarwar, who had been the party's leader since 2020, stepped down in July of this year, describing the role as "the hardest job in British politics." His decision followed a disappointing performance in the May Scottish Parliament elections, where Scottish Labour returned just 17 members, marking its worst result since devolution began in 1999. The leadership contest between Marra and Joe Fagan came after Sarwar initially planned to stay on as leader despite the election loss. However, he left Holyrood—the Scottish Parliament—in July to become a trade minister in Burnham's government, which operates within the UK Parliament. Sarwar had previously made headlines by becoming the first senior figure in Scottish Labour to publicly call for the resignation of Prime Minister Keir Starmer, a move that drew both support and criticism within the party. Marra, a former MSP and a prominent figure in Scottish Labour, brings experience in both local and national politics to the leadership role. He is the 11th leader of Scottish Labour since the devolution era began, not counting interim leaders. His election comes at a critical time for the party, which is seeking to recover from its recent electoral setback and reestablish itself as a major political force in Scotland. Scottish Labour faces the challenge of rebuilding support in a political landscape that has seen significant shifts, particularly with the rise of the Scottish National Party (SNP) and the ongoing debate over Scottish independence. Marra's leadership will be tested as the party works to address internal divisions and develop a renewed strategy for future elections.