![\"\"](\"https:\/\/dailybusinessgroup.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Monica-Lennon-and-Michael-Marra.png\")
Monica Lennon and Michael Marra are expected to fight out the leadership of the Scottish Labour Party after Anas Sarwar confirmed he is taking up a post in the UK government and a peerage in the House of Lords.<\/p>\n
Deputy leader Dame Jackie Baillie becomes acting leader during the election campaign and has previously indicated she would not pursue the top job.<\/p>\n
Mr Sarwar was elected to the Scottish parliament via the list system and Ms Lennon, who lost her seat in May, is the next name, ensuring she replaces him.<\/p>\n
She led the campaign to make tampons and sanitary towels freely available across Scotland and lost to Mr Sarwar in the last leadership contest in 2021.<\/p>\n
Speaking to the\u00a0Planet Holyrood<\/em>\u00a0podcast, Ms Lennon said it \u201cwould be a huge honour and privilege to go back to parliament and serve as a member for Glasgow. If I had the opportunity to go back to parliament, I would absolutely welcome that.\u201d<\/p>\n Michael Marra, the MSP for North East Scotland, has been tipped for some time as a potential leader. Another potential runner is the Glasgow list MSP Paul Sweeney, though he has recently played down any interest in the role.<\/p>\n Mr Sarwar chose to confirm his departure on social media. He said he was \u201cdelighted\u201d to join the UK government and it had been \u201can honour\u201d to serve people in Glasgow, where he was an MSP, and across Scotland.<\/p>\n In February he called for Sir Keir Starmer to resign in an attempt to revive his flagging election campaign,. He was at the event in London last Friday when Mr Burnham was installed as the new Labour Party leader.<\/p>\n His decision to accept the position of trade minister in Andy Burnham\u2019s government has drawn criticism from opposition politicians, who accused him of being \u201chypocritical\u201d as he had previously called for the House of Lords to be scrapped.<\/p>\n He said he was \u201cdisappointed and sorry\u201d for Scottish Labour\u2019s poor performance in the Scottish Parliament elections in May, adding: \u201cI take my fair share of responsibility for that.\u201d<\/p>\n Scottish Labour won just 17 seats out of 129, a record low for the party.<\/p>\n \u201cI am delighted and honoured to have been asked by the prime minister to serve every part of the United Kingdom as the Minister of State for Trade,\u201d Sarwar wrote on X.<\/p>\n \u201cThroughout my life, I have only ever been motivated by public service, the opportunity to serve our country is all I ever asked. That\u2019s why this is an opportunity I humbly accept.\u201d<\/p>\n He added: \u201cThe challenges facing the United Kingdom now could not be greater or the risks more stark.<\/p>\n \u201cThe rise of an emboldened new right must concentrate minds. This is a fight for the heart and soul of our nation. That\u2019s why Andy Burnham and this Labour government must succeed.\u201d<\/p>\n \t <\/div>\n![\"Anas](\"https:\/\/dailybusinessgroup.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Anas-Sarwar-on-rooftop.png\")