Joe Fagan
MSP for South Scotland and former leader of South Lanarkshire Council.
Joe Fagan lost the Scottish Labour leadership contest on 19 September 2026, receiving 2,485 votes to Michael Marra's 4,266.
Last refreshed: 7 October 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Can Joe Fagan reach the Scottish Labour leadership ballot on time?
Timeline for Joe Fagan
Lost the leadership ballot with 2,485 votes
UK Local Elections 2026: Marra's MSPs vote for right to decideCleared the parliamentary nomination threshold to reach the leadership ballot
UK Local Elections 2026: Lennon is off the Scottish Labour ballotDeclared as a candidate for the Scottish Labour leadership
UK Local Elections 2026: Three run for Scottish Labour leaderBackground
Joe Fagan is a Member of the Scottish Parliament for South Scotland. He previously led South Lanarkshire Council, giving him a local-government record alongside his national parliamentary role.
His 2026 bid for the Scottish Labour leadership placed him in a contest with Michael Marra and Monica Lennon. Candidates needed backing from three MSPs, three MPs and three affiliated organisations, including two trade unions, before members could vote. Fagan reached the ballot, though Marra won the final vote on 19 September.
Fagan lost the leadership contest
Joe Fagan reached Scottish Labour's members' ballot on 17 August after meeting the contest's parliamentary and affiliate nomination rules. He entered the final two with 7 MP nominations to Michael Marra's 24, after Monica Lennon secured only 2 of the 3 MPs she needed.
On 19 September, Fagan received 2,485 votes in the leadership election, against Michael Marra's 4,266. Fagan took 37% of the 6,751 votes cast, and his bid to succeed Anas Sarwar ended there. On 22 September all 17 Scottish Labour MSPs, Fagan among them, backed John Swinney's motion on Scotland's right to decide under Marra's new leadership.
Reference
What council did Joe Fagan lead before Holyrood?
