Michael Marra elected new leader of Scottish Labour
Labour MSP Michael Marra has been elected the new leader of Scottish Labour, succeeding Anas Sarwar, who left Holyrood to join Andy Burnham's Westminster government.
Scottish Labour has chosen a new leader. Michael Marra, a member of the Scottish Parliament, known as Holyrood, has been elected to head the party, taking over from Anas Sarwar, who previously led Labour in Scotland.
Why the leadership changed
Sarwar decided to give up his seat at Holyrood in order to join the Westminster government led by Andy Burnham. That departure left Scottish Labour needing a new leader, a role now filled by Marra.
Who is the new leader
Marra has served as a Labour MSP in the Scottish Parliament. His election as party leader means he will now head the Labour group at Holyrood and represent the party in Scottish politics going forward.
News outlets note that further details on the circumstances of the handover and what comes next are expected to follow. For now, the key fact is confirmed: the leadership transition has taken place, with Marra succeeding Sarwar at the helm of the party.
The change comes as Scottish Labour's internal structure is being reshaped following Sarwar's move into UK-wide politics at Westminster. His decision to join Burnham's government points to a close relationship between Labour's operations in Scotland and at the UK level.
