Getty ImagesLast week, Anas Sarwar joined the House of Lords and became a minister of State for Trade, which means Scottish Labour are on the hunt for a new leader.
The contest hasn’t officially begun yet, but Scottish Labour’s national executive council have announced how the race will work.
Nominations to run in the race to become the party’s new leader will open on August 3 and will stay open until August 17, but three MSPs have already put their hats in the ring.
Monica Lennon, who is set to make her return to the Scottish Parliament as a Glasgow MSP after Sarwar stood down, announced her plans to run in the race on Sunday.
She said she would enact radical and fast change following Labour’s bruising defeat in May’s Holyrood election.
Scottish Labour won only 17 seats in that election – their worst result since devolution.
On Tuesday, North-East MSP Michael Marra announced he would put himself forward, saying he wanted to unite the party in a social media video.
Newly elected MSP Joe Fagan also announced he was going to stand in the race, saying, “continuity won’t cut it.”
But there is a two-week window where anyone else who wants to join the race can.
After that process closes, members and affiliated supporters will receive their ballots, and the vote will open on August 28.
That vote will remain open until September 17, before the new Scottish Labour leader is announced at a special event on September 19.
Until then, deputy leader Jackie Baillie will be the party’s interim leader.
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