oe Fagan has officially reached the ballot for the Scottish Labour leadership contest after securing enough support. The South Scotland MSP will now face North-East representative Michael Marra in the race to become the party’s next leader. The contest follows Anas Sarwar’s move to the House of Lords and his departure from the leadership.
Fagan welcomed his place on the ballot and said the campaign would now enter an important stage. “Getting on the ballot is just the first step, the real work starts now,” he said. He added that his campaign would focus on rebuilding Scottish Labour from the grassroots. Meanwhile, he has already begun travelling across Scotland to meet party members and discuss his plans.
Nominations closed on Monday morning after candidates sought support from different parts of the party. Both Fagan and Marra secured the required endorsements from parliamentarians, constituency parties and trade unions. However, MSP Monica Lennon failed to gain enough support from elected members and therefore left the contest.
Lennon will become the incoming Glasgow region representative following the latest parliamentary changes. Fagan, meanwhile, gained support from 11 other MPs and MSPs during the nomination process. His backers include East Kilbride MP Joani Reid and Hamilton and Clyde Valley representative Imogen Walker.
Several constituency Labour parties have also supported Fagan’s campaign. These include the East Kilbride, Clydesdale and Airdrie constituency Labour parties. The retail trade union Usdaw has also endorsed his leadership bid. In addition, South Lanarkshire Labour figures have backed him, including councillor Kirsty Williams and Hamilton South councillor Gavin Keatt.
Fagan has continued campaigning across Scotland since launching his leadership bid. His tour has taken him to Dumfries, the Outer Hebrides and Strathaven. He also visited Strathaven while supporting Labour during a council by-election campaign. The MSP thanked his supporters for helping him reach the final ballot.
“I want to take this campaign to every part of Scotland,” Fagan said. He also promised to speak directly with members about the future direction of Scottish Labour. According to Fagan, the party must reconnect with communities if it wants to regain public trust. His campaign has therefore focused strongly on grassroots organisation and local concerns.
The leadership candidate previously served as leader of South Lanarkshire Council for four years. He held the position before becoming a South Scotland MSP in May. Fagan also remains an East Kilbride Central North councillor. He will continue representing the ward until next May’s council elections.
However, his recent political career has also included a parliamentary setback. Fagan contested the East Kilbride constituency during the May election but lost to returning SNP member Collette Stevenson. Despite that defeat, he quickly turned his attention towards the Scottish Labour leadership contest.
Fagan previously said he wanted to “shake the place up” at the Scottish Parliament. He also argued that Holyrood should work more effectively for people across Scotland. His campaign has highlighted housing, public services, employment and household costs as key concerns.
Usdaw Scottish regional secretary Tony Doonan praised Fagan’s record in local government. Doonan described him as a candidate who could offer Scottish Labour a fresh start. He also highlighted Fagan’s understanding of concerns surrounding rent, waiting lists, jobs and local communities.
The leadership contest now moves towards a series of hustings events across Scotland. Labour members will have the opportunity to hear directly from both remaining candidates. Voting will take place from August 28 until September 17. Party officials will announce the winner at a party event two days after voting closes.
The result will determine who leads Scottish Labour during an important period for the party. For Joe Fagan, reaching the ballot marks a significant milestone in his political career. However, he must now convince members that he can rebuild Labour’s support and strengthen its connection with Scottish voters.
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