Daniel Johnson, a senior Labour MSP, has warned that time is “running out” to save his party after another crushing defeat at the Holyrood election. In an article for the Daily Record, he said the loss raised “existential” questions for Scottish Labour.
Defeat raises existential questions
Johnson wrote that Scottish Labour has failed to confront “who our voters are, what motivates them, and how to win them over.” His comments come after Anas Sarwar led Labour to their fifth consecutive defeat to the SNP at the Scottish Parliament. The party has also gone backwards at every Holyrood election since 1999.
Johnson, tipped as a possible leadership candidate, did not hold back in his analysis. “This time is different—time really is running out,” he wrote.
Relationship with UK party under scrutiny
The Edinburgh Southern MSP added: “We have to accept that for many voters, the SNP remains the default choice to protect Scottish interests.” He said the “main existential conundrum” is Scottish Labour’s relationship with the UK party. Senior party figures believe Keir Starmer’s performance in government made it impossible for Labour to beat the SNP.
Johnson wrote: “Despite rebranding, a strong leader, and picking fights with UK leadership, we suffered from the UK Government’s unpopularity rather than being judged on our own terms.” He called for the “structure” of the relationship to be examined but said there were more “fundamental” questions to address.
Leadership contest looms
Johnson argued that the “mythical traditional workers from industrial Scotland are gone” and that Scottish Labour must work out what “working people” means in 2026. “Now is not a time for egos or personalities. It is for asking who are we, who are we for, what do we want to do and how are we going to do it,” he wrote.
The party is preparing for a bruising leadership contest to succeed Sarwar. Monica Lennon, who will return as an MSP within days, has declared her candidacy. North East Scotland MSP Michael Marra is certain to run, while Paul Sweeney is also mentioned as a potential candidate.
