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| Anas Sarwar wins Scottish Labour leadership race | Anas Sarwar wins Scottish Labour leadership race |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Anas Sarwar has been announced as the new Scottish Labour leader. | Anas Sarwar has been announced as the new Scottish Labour leader. |
| Glasgow MSP Mr Sarwar defeated Monica Lennon, the only other candidate in the race. | Glasgow MSP Mr Sarwar defeated Monica Lennon, the only other candidate in the race. |
| The contest was triggered after Richard Leonard resigned as leader, saying it was in the best interests of the party for him to stand down. | The contest was triggered after Richard Leonard resigned as leader, saying it was in the best interests of the party for him to stand down. |
| Mr Sarwar takes charge of the party ahead of the Scottish Parliament election, which is scheduled to be held on 6 May. | Mr Sarwar takes charge of the party ahead of the Scottish Parliament election, which is scheduled to be held on 6 May. |
| Mr Sarwar, who is the first minority ethnic leader of a major political party in the UK, got 57.6% of the vote, while Ms Lennon got 42.4%. | Mr Sarwar, who is the first minority ethnic leader of a major political party in the UK, got 57.6% of the vote, while Ms Lennon got 42.4%. |
| Who is the new Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar? | Who is the new Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar? |
| In his acceptance speech, he said: "I want to say directly to the people of Scotland, I know Labour has a lot of work to do to win back your trust. | In his acceptance speech, he said: "I want to say directly to the people of Scotland, I know Labour has a lot of work to do to win back your trust. |
| "Because if we're brutally honest, you haven't had the Scottish Labour Party you deserve. | "Because if we're brutally honest, you haven't had the Scottish Labour Party you deserve. |
| "With rising injustice, inequality and division, I'm sorry we haven't been good enough. | "With rising injustice, inequality and division, I'm sorry we haven't been good enough. |
| "And I will work day and night to change that, so we can build the country we all need." | "And I will work day and night to change that, so we can build the country we all need." |
| Former leader Mr Leonard congratulated Mr Sarwar, calling for the party to get behind him. | |
| UK Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer, said: "Huge congratulations to Anas on his election as leader of the Scottish Labour Party. | |
| "I look forward to working with him to secure our economy, protect our NHS and rebuild our country." | |
| First Muslim leader | |
| On becoming the first minority ethnic leader of a major political party in the UK, Mr Sarwar said: "That doesn't say something about me. That says something great about Scotland and its people." | |
| The move was welcomed by Scotland's justice secretary and SNP MSP Humza Yousaf. | |
| Will do politics another day, but today can I congratulate @AnasSarwar on becoming @scottishlabour leader - think this makes him first Muslim & Person of Colour leading a political party in UK, an incredible & historic achievement of which I am proud of him for. Well done Anas 👏 | |
| The Scottish Labour leadership race was short, and largely overshadowed by the Covid crisis, but was more cordial than previous contests the party has held. | |
| Scotland's constitutional future was one of the major features of the campaign, with both candidates repeatedly asked for their take on the issue. | |
| While both have said they are opposed to the idea of Scottish independence, Ms Lennon said that should a pro-independence majority be elected to Holyrood in May, the party would have to accept another referendum on the issue. | |
| Mr Sarwar, meanwhile, has urged independence-supporting parties to put the issue aside and focus on the recovery from coronavirus. |