Scottish Labour facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Scottish Labour Pàrtaidh Làbarach na h-Alba
Leader	Anas Sarwar
Deputy Leader	Jackie Baillie
General Secretary	Kate Watson
Founder	Robert Bontine Cunninghame Graham Keir Hardie
Founded	1888; 137 years ago (1888) (original form) 1994; 31 years ago (1994) (current form)
Preceded by	Scottish Labour Party (1888)
Headquarters	Rutherglen, South Lanarkshire, Scotland
Student wing	Scottish Labour Students
Youth wing	Scottish Young Labour
Membership (2021)	16,467
Ideology	Social democracy British devolution British unionism
Political position	Centre-left
UK Parliament affiliation	Labour Party (UK)
Colours	Red
House of Commons (Scottish seats)	37 / 57
Scottish Parliament	23 / 129
Local government in Scotland	268 / 1,227
Councils led in Scotland	9 / 32
Election symbol
Politics of Scotland Political parties

Scottish Labour (in Scottish Gaelic: Pàrtaidh Làbarach na h-Alba) is a major political party in Scotland. It is the Scottish part of the main Labour Party in the United Kingdom. The party believes in social democracy, which means it works to create a fairer society for everyone. It also supports Scotland remaining part of the United Kingdom.

For many years, from the 1960s to the 2010s, Scottish Labour was the most popular party in Scotland. It won the most seats in every UK general election and European election held during that time. When the Scottish Parliament was created in 1999, Scottish Labour formed the first government in a partnership with the Scottish Liberal Democrats.

However, the party's popularity declined, especially after the 2014 Scottish independence referendum. Many of its voters began to support the Scottish National Party (SNP), which wants Scotland to be an independent country. In the 2015 UK general election, Scottish Labour had one of its worst results ever, losing 40 of its 41 seats in the House of Commons.

The party's support continued to fall in the following years. But in the 2024 UK general election, Scottish Labour made a huge comeback. It won 37 out of 57 Scottish seats, becoming the largest party in Scotland at Westminster for the first time in over a decade.

How the Party is Organised

Scottish Labour is part of the UK Labour Party but has its own structure to make decisions on Scottish issues. It is run by the Scottish Executive Committee (SEC), which includes representatives from party members, elected politicians, and groups like trade unions.

The party's main office is in Glasgow. Each year, members gather for the Scottish Labour conference to discuss ideas and policies.

Party Membership

The number of people who are members of Scottish Labour has changed over the years. In 1997, when the party was very successful, it had around 30,000 members. By 2008, this number had dropped to 17,000.

After the 2015 UK leadership election, membership grew again. By 2018, it reached over 25,000. However, by February 2021, the number of members had fallen to 16,467.

History of Scottish Labour

The Labour Party has been active in Scotland since it was formed in 1900. At first, it was a small party, but it grew when it joined with the Scottish Trades Union Congress in 1909. In 1915, the party created a Scottish Council to help organise its activities in Scotland.

For a long time, Scottish Labour supported the idea of Scottish devolution, which means giving Scotland its own parliament with powers to make decisions on local issues. The party was a key part of the campaign that led to the creation of the Scottish Parliament in 1999.

1999–2007: Leading the Scottish Government

Donald Dewar with Queen Elizabeth II at the opening of the first Scottish Parliament in 1999.

In the first Scottish Parliament election in 1999, Scottish Labour won the most seats. Their leader, Donald Dewar, became the first ever First Minister of Scotland. Labour formed a government with the Scottish Liberal Democrats.

After Dewar's death in 2000, Henry McLeish became the new First Minister. He was followed by Jack McConnell in 2001. Under McConnell, Labour and the Liberal Democrats won the 2003 election and continued to govern Scotland.

2007–2014: Becoming the Opposition

Jack McConnell became Leader of the Opposition after the 2007 election.

In the 2007 election, Scottish Labour lost its position as the largest party. The Scottish National Party (SNP) won one more seat than Labour and formed the new government. This meant Labour became the main opposition party at Holyrood for the first time.

After the defeat, Jack McConnell resigned as leader. He was replaced by Wendy Alexander, and later by Iain Gray. In the 2011 election, the SNP won a large majority, and Labour's number of seats fell again. Johann Lamont then became the new leader.

2014–2021: A Time of Big Challenges

MP Jim Murphy campaigning for Scotland to stay in the UK in 2014.

Scottish Labour played a big role in the 2014 Scottish independence referendum. The party campaigned for Scotland to remain part of the UK. Although the "No" side won the referendum, many traditional Labour voters had switched their support to the SNP.

This led to a huge defeat for Labour in the 2015 UK general election. The party lost 40 of its 41 Scottish seats at Westminster, with only Ian Murray keeping his seat. Jim Murphy, who had become leader just months before, resigned.

Kezia Dugdale took over as leader, but the party's fortunes did not improve. In the 2016 Scottish Parliament election, Labour fell to third place behind the SNP and the Scottish Conservatives.

In the 2017 UK general election, Labour did better than expected, winning back six seats. However, in the 2019 election, they lost these seats again, leaving them with just one MP. Richard Leonard was the party leader during this difficult period.

2021–Present: A New Direction Under Anas Sarwar

The new Scottish Labour logo, which uses a thistle instead of a rose.

In February 2021, Anas Sarwar was elected as the new leader of Scottish Labour. He promised to unite the party and win back the trust of voters. Under his leadership, the party changed its logo from a red rose to a thistle, a national symbol of Scotland.

In the 2022 local elections, Labour overtook the Conservatives to become the second-largest party in local government. In October 2023, the party won an important by-election in Rutherglen and Hamilton West, taking the seat from the SNP.

The 2024 General Election Comeback

Results of the 2024 UK general election in Scotland. Red shows the seats won by Labour.

The 2024 UK general election was a major turning point for Scottish Labour. The party won 37 of the 57 seats in Scotland, making it the largest Scottish party at Westminster once again. This was a huge increase from the single seat it held before the election.

Following the victory, the UK Labour Party formed a new government. Scottish Labour MP Ian Murray was appointed as the Secretary of State for Scotland, giving Scotland a key voice in the new UK cabinet.

Elected Representatives

Scottish Labour has politicians representing people at different levels of government.

Members of the UK Parliament

As of the 2024 general election, Scottish Labour has 37 Members of Parliament (MPs) in the House of Commons in London. They represent different areas, or constituencies, across Scotland.

Members of the Scottish Parliament

Scottish Labour also has 22 Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) at Holyrood in Edinburgh. They are the third-largest party in the Scottish Parliament.

The party has a "Shadow Cabinet" at Holyrood. This is a team of senior MSPs who are experts on different topics, like health and education. They challenge the Scottish Government's plans and present Labour's alternative ideas.

• Anas Sarwar – Leader of the Scottish Labour Party
• Jackie Baillie – Deputy Leader and Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health
• Daniel Johnson – Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Economy
• Pam Duncan-Glancy – Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Education

Electoral Performance

This section shows how Scottish Labour has performed in different elections over the years.

UK House of Commons Elections

Red shows the single seat won by Labour at the 2019 general election.

This table shows the percentage of votes and the number of seats Scottish Labour has won in UK general elections. For many years, it was the top party in Scotland. After a big drop in 2015, the party made a major recovery in 2024.

Scottish Parliament Elections

Red shows the seats won by Labour at the 2021 Scottish Parliament election.

This table shows the results for Scottish Parliament elections. Labour was the largest party in 1999 and 2003, forming the government. Since 2007, it has been an opposition party.

Election	Total Seats	+/–	Rank	Government
1999	56 / 129		1st	Lab–LD
2003	50 / 129	6	1st	Lab–LD
2007	46 / 129	4	2nd	Opposition
2011	37 / 129	9	2nd	Opposition
2016	24 / 129	13	3rd	Opposition
2021	22 / 129	2	3rd	Opposition

Images for kids

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  The launch of the "United with Labour" campaign.

• 

  Results of the 2015 UK general election in Scotland, where Scottish Labour won one seat.

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  2022 local election results in Scotland, where red represents Labour.

See also

• Campaign for Socialism