AN MSP who led a review of Scottish Labour three years ago is the first to declare as a candidate for the vacant leader's job.
Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothians, announced she wants to succeed Johann Lamont.
As yet no other candidates have said they will stand, but East Renfrewshire MP, Jim Murphy, is widely expected to announce he will in the coming days.
Ms Boyack has been an MSP since 1999, but lost her constituency seat in 2011 but was still returned to Holyrood on the regional list.
She has previously been minister for transport and also environment minister under Labour/LibDem serving under Donald Dewar, Henry McLeish and in the final months of Jack McConnell's administration and is one of Labour's senior MSPs.
Ms Boyack said she will help rebuild Labour as a movement across Scotland She said: "We need a lively debate, we need a robust debate and we need to involve people across the whole country and reach out to the people that we have worked with over the last few months.
"People have huge ambition for Scotland and it's the Labour Party, I believe, can take those agendas forward and make Scotland the place it needs to be."
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