Scottish Labour leadership hopefuls are warning against internal divisions and advocating for a renewed focus on the party's foundational principles. Joe Fagan, one of the candidates vying for the leadership position vacated by Anas Sarwar, stated that the party must "change more than the faces at the top."
Fagan called for the party to be "bold" and to position itself "squarely on the side of the working people of this country." He announced his candidacy with the aim to "unite our party, to back our movement, to seize this moment and rebuild Scottish Labour as a party for working people of Scotland." According to Fagan, Scottish Labour needs to rediscover its "courage, boldness and imagination." He warned that if "Scottish Labour decay, and when Labour decays, Scotland decays."
He identified "caution and division" as the party's "deadly enemies," asserting that "boldness, courage and unity are our only path." Fagan also stressed the importance of the party learning to "win again," arguing that its past successes were linked to being "rooted in communities and serious about people's lives."
Monica Lennon, Joe Fagan, and Michael Marra are the three individuals competing to become the next leader of Scottish Labour. The new leader is scheduled to be announced on September 19.