North East MSP Michael Marra has been elected leader of Scottish Labour after defeating South Scotland MSP Joe Fagan in the contest to replace Anas Sarwar.
Marra secured 4,266 of the 6,751 votes cast and said the party needed to reconnect with regions including the North-east, Highlands and south of Scotland.
He identified oil and gas as the biggest issue facing the North-east and said Scottish Labour needed a policy on the industry which people in the region could have confidence in.
'I think we have to make sure we deliver a proper oil and gas policy that is about the future of the Scottish economy that people in the north-east can have confidence in,' he said.
Marra also reiterated his support for the Jackdaw and Rosebank projects, saying: 'I want Rosebank and Jackdaw to be approved.'
He called on Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s government to reform the windfall tax on the industry sooner than the planned 2030 replacement date, saying the change 'needs to happen sooner'.
Marra described his election as a 'singular honour and a great responsibility' and said Labour needed to 'recreate ourselves as a national party once again'.
Source: Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce
