Edinburgh MSP Daniel Johnson rules out standing for Scottish Labour leader and backs Michael Marra for the job
‘I’m going to back the person I think is best able to help our party win again’ - Daniel Johnson MSP
Edinburgh Southern MSP Daniel Johnson has decided against bidding to succeed Anas Sarwar as Scottish Labour leader.
Instead, Mr Johnson - one of only three constituency Labour MSPs - has given his backing to North East Scotland MSP Michael Marra to lead the party in Scotland.
So far, only two contenders have declared their intention to stand - Mr Marra and Monica Lennon, who lost her seat at the election in May but is about to return to the Scottish Parliament to replace Mr Sarwar as a Glasgow MSP because she was next on the list. West of Scotland MSP Katy Clark is said to be considering running. And Glasgow MSP Paul Sweeney has also been mentioned.
Nominations for the leadership will open on August 3 and close on August 19, with the result announced at a special conference on Saturday, September 19.
Explaining his decision in a video posted on social media, Mr Johnson said: “There is no dressing it up: this is a really critical moment for Scottish Labour. But it's not one like the previous moments that we have faced, because in recent years we have done something. We have proven that we can win again - that's what the general election result in 2024 demonstrates, but also what we did in Rutherglen and we did in Hamilton.”
Labour won the Westminster seat of Rutherglen and Hamilton West from the SNP at a by-election in October 2023 and also the Holyrood seat of Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse in June 2025.
Mr Johnson continued: “But the 2026 election result was a major setback and one that we need to think about carefully. It's why the person we pick as leader is so important. It's also why I’m going to give my endorsement to Michael Marra.
“Michael is somebody that has the seriousness and the analysis we need to not just get rid of everything and start again, but actually build upon what was good but also address the things we got wrong in the Holyrood election.
“He’s also someone who has deep values in our party. He has connections and reach right the way across our party and movement. As we move forward that is going to be vital.
“As somebody that knows how to win for Scottish Labour, I’m going to back the person I think is best able to help our party win again and that in my view is Michael Marra. What I ask is that Scottish Labour members think about backing Michael too. I think he is the best person to take our party forward.”