Scottish Labour picks a new leader over the weekend, and a pollster calls the party an irrelevance

The hurdle facing Scottish Labour's next leader

About 11,000 members voted, with 4266 in Marra's favour in a pollster's verdict that has become an irrelevance.

The job became free since Anas Sarwar's farewell as he fell well short of his goal of becoming First Minister of Scotland in May's Scottish Parliament election.

It came as a historically bad result, and swapped Holyrood for the House of Lords shortly afterwards.

The 17 seats left Labour as the joint second largest party in the parliament, tied with Reform UK, whose UK-wide numbers have since gone the other way.

The party dropped to third in new polling earlier this month. There remains a gulf between Labour and the SNP.

The pollster Mark Diffley, speaking to BBC News, did not soften it. "The party has become a bit of an irrelevance, and I think that is the biggest hurdle that they face going forward," he said.

"The vast majority of people don't really know either of the candidates and, worryingly for them, don't know that the contest is going on."

Speaking after the votes, Marra said: "It is the honour of my life to be elected leader of the Scottish Labour Party.

"To be entrusted with the leadership of our Scottish Labour Party is a singular honour and a great responsibility.

"I am grateful for your trust and take on the duty of advancing our cause of a fairer, more equal Scotland with all that I can possibly give."

Diffley, unimpressed with the party's position, set out three priorities for Marra.

To become relevant is a priority, as well as developing a relationship with the prime minister, who he says is currently popular in Scotland, and spell out appealing policies.

Marra and Fagan have appeared together at events to meet Labour members, but many people were unaware the contest was happening at all.

One senior party insider agreed with much of Diffley's analysis.