Monica Lennon will stand to become leader of Scottish Labour after launching her bid to succeed Anas Sarwar in the Sunday Mail today.
The campaigning politician has warned her party faces “oblivion” without “radical and fast change” and said she will put herself forward for the job.
Lennon lost her seat in the May election but is set to return as an MSP within days after Sarwar’s shock resignation opened up a place on the regional list.
The news sparked immediate leadership speculation, and Lennon has now become the first senior party figure to announce they will seek the support to stand.
View 5 ImagesMonica Lennon(Image: Daily Record)
She said: “Being outside Parliament since May has given me space to reflect and listen. I’ve spoken with members and voters who feel disappointed, disillusioned, and defeated. “I’ve heard their frustration – but I’ve also felt a quiet, burning determination. Crisis demands courage.
“Anyone looking objectively at our party today would conclude a harsh reality. We are in the last chance saloon.
“Scottish Labour has gone backwards in every Holyrood election since 1999. If we do not change – radically and fast – we face oblivion.
“That is why I am putting myself forward to lead Scottish Labour because I can’t stand by and witness our terminal decline.
“We need a completely new style of leadership. A genuine ‘big tent’ approach that stops viewing internal debate as a threat and starts unleashing every talent in our party.
“This is the fightback of our lives. We can drift into irrelevance, or we can unite, reform, and win again. I can’t do it alone, but I am ready to lead that fight.”
“I welcome a fair and open contest where the views of different candidates and members can be heard and debated.”
Lennon will now have to get the support of a number of MPs and MSPs to officially get on the ballot for a leadership contest which will be held in coming weeks.
More MSPs are expected to throw their hats in the ring with Michael Marra widely expected to run.
Other names that have been mentioned include Daniel Johnson and Paul Sweeney.
Lennon, 45, previously ran for leader in 2021 but lost out to Sarwar.
View 5 ImagesAnas Sarwar(Image: Jane Barlow/PA Wire)
She has held several roles on Labour’s front bench and is widely regarded as one of Holyrood’s most effective campaigners.
She gained worldwide attention by pioneering new legislation to make Scotland the first country in the world to make period products a legal right.
Sarwar confirmed last week he was stepping down to become Minister of State for Trade in Andy Burnham’s government.
He is being granted a peerage so he can take up a seat in the House of Lords.
The decision has been criticised by opposition politicians, who called it “hypocritical” as he had previously called for the House of Lords to be scrapped.
He said he was “disappointed and sorry” for Scottish Labour’s poor performance in the Scottish Parliament election.
Sarwar publicly called for Sir Keir Starmer to resign in February and was at the event in London when Burnham became the new Labour Party leader.
View 5 ImagesScottish Labour MSP Monica Lennon(Image: Sunday Mail)
There is a famous moment in football broadcasting every long-suffering fan knows by heart. A journalist put it to manager Mick McCarthy during a brutal winless streak: “It can’t go on like this, can it?”
McCarthy’s deadpan reality check was instant: “It can.”
The Mick McCarthy meme will painfully resonate with Scottish Labour members and supporters.
Reeling from our worst Holyrood result in history, losing my seat in May was sore. But what broke my heart was our lost opportunity to displace an SNP government that continues to preside over a housing crisis and an overstretched NHS while wielding the axe on local services.
It is comforting to tell ourselves this is election rock bottom and things must turn around. But the brutal truth of politics is: yes, it can go on like this.
Scottish Labour has gone backwards in every Holyrood election since 1999. If we do not change – radically and fast – we face oblivion. Anyone looking objectively at our party today would conclude a harsh reality. We are on our last legs.
That is why I am putting myself forward to lead Scottish Labour because I can’t stand by and witness our terminal decline.
Being outside Parliament since May has given me space to reflect and listen. I’ve spoken with members and voters who feel disappointed, disillusioned, and defeated. I’ve heard their frustration – but I’ve also felt a quiet, burning determination. Crisis demands courage.
We need a completely new style of leadership. A genuine “big tent” approach that stops viewing internal debate as a threat and starts unleashing every talent in our party.
For too long, nearly 80 per cent of Scottish voters – including pro-independence supporters – have written us off. That is a road to nowhere. We certainly cannot build a winning coalition by giving up on the support of working people and working-class communities who feel we aren’t on their side.
View 5 ImagesNew Prime Minister Andy Burnham arrives and greets staff at No 10 North, located in Heron House, central Manchester.(Image: James Speakman/The Times/PA Wire)
Look at Andy Burnham. He showed what happens when Labour sounds confidently, unapologetically Labour. I’m so glad he didn’t give up on his mission to change the UK Labour leadership before it sleepwalked towards the mass loss of MPs at the next General Election and putting Labour out of government for a generation.
Delivering a “No. 10 North,” he proved taking power out of Westminster works when backed by authentic conviction. Most importantly, he put the cost of living first – tackling energy bills and capping bus fares to give working families breathing space.
I campaigned for Andy in Makerfield. Seeing Reform UK posters everywhere was daunting, but respect for Andy’s economic and social justice track record cut straight through the hard-right noise. We must learn from his victory – and heed his warning: this is our last chance.
We need a new dawn for devolution. That means taking power out of Westminster, but also taking it out of Holyrood to hand directly to our underfunded councils and communities.
If we don’t offer a radical, hopeful alternative on the economy, Farage’s machine will fill the void. Reform UK is creeping into Scotland with a hard-right agenda that would make Maggie Thatcher blush. We must prove Scottish Labour is the credible alternative to the SNP.
Repairing our brand requires completing the project of party autonomy. We need a mature, modernised relationship with UK Labour so we can focus relentlessly on rebuilding in Scotland. Voters must know, without a shadow of a doubt, who we are for and what we stand for. Scottish Labour must be in charge of its own decisions and destiny.
We must spotlight the stellar work of our MPs, MSPs, and councillors. With critical council elections ahead, we must unite with a single purpose.
This is the fightback of our lives. We can drift into irrelevance, or we can unite, reform, and win again. I can’t do it alone, but I am ready to lead that fight – and I want you to be part of it.
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