Anas Sarwar has backed Keir Starmer to remain as UK Labour leader as the party lost seats in both Scotland and England today.
The SNP gained East Lothian in the race for Holyrood while the Tories gained Hartlepool in a Westminster by-election.
Sarwar only became Scottish Labour leader two months ago and has pledged to build a "credible alternative" to the Nationalists.
Labour looks on course to finish third in terms of MSPs at a second successive Scottish Parliament election, with its vote share trailing the Conservatives with 36 constituencies declared so far.
The remainder of the seats and the list vote will be announced on Saturday.
Sarwar challenged Nicola Sturgeon in Glasgow Southside and increased Labour's vote but still trailed the SNP leader by 9,000 ballots.
Starmer’s leadership of Labour at a UK level has come in for heavy criticism from prominent figures across the party following the Hartlepool by-election humiliation.
Former shadow cabinet minister Richard Burgon said Labour needed to “urgently change direction”.
Asked by the Record if Starmer is still the right man to lead the party, Sarwar said: "Absolutely. He's on a journey, he himself has said he's not had a chance to speak to a crowd since he became leader.
"He's not had a chance to shake a single hand since becoming leader. We're in the midst of a pandemic, which helps incumbent parties.
"But there are lots of reasons why Labour is struggling in England. But he is absolutely the right person, and I will work with him to elect a Labour government across the UK."
Sarwar continued: "There are lessons the rest of the UK (Labour) can learn from Scotland and Scottish Labour's experience.
"We had a very difficult, binary choice put in front of the people of Scotland, and it took us a long time to come to terms with it and we paid a heavy price for it.
"And people down the road need to learn lessons from what happened in Scotland."
Sarwar insisted he had led an "energetic and enthusiastic" campaign since taking on the job as Scottish leader.
He added: "Given where we were 10 weeks ago, and where we are now, undoubtedly we have made progress - particularly in the central belt.
"It's good to see our share of the vote rise, in Glasgow Southside it was up by nine per cent.
"We're on a journey to build a credible alternative to the SNP. Not just oppose the SNP, but to build a credible alternative. And that job doesn't stop with this election campaign.
"Of course I'm a disappointed we've lost seats. I'm particularly disappointed for Martin Whitfield who was our excellent candidate in East Lothian.
"But again I go back to where we were 10 weeks ago, where people were questioning the survival of the Labour party and were making bold predictions the Labour party could finish fourth.
"I think even my harshest critics would accept we have run an energetic and enthusiastic campaign, we got Labour back on the pitch, and we've got to build on that."
