It’s been a bit of a muted day on the politics front on this rather dreich day. But there has been one thing of interest. There was a shadow cabinet reshuffle of Scottish Labour. With the now former education spokeswoman Rhona Brankin being booted out perhaps it is the curse of an education brief biting and Brankin not being seen as effective in tackling the SNP’s Education Minister Fiona Hyslop.
Iain Gray issued the following statement regarding her departure.
"Rhona has taken Fiona Hyslop to task as the worst education minister since devolution began, with broken promises on class sizes, school buildings and teacher numbers."
Though considering that out of the six education ministers there has been since devolution began back in 1999 and that Fiona Hyslop is the first to be non Labour perhaps it pays to be cynical as to why Gray would be calling her the worst out of the lot.
The new shadow cabinet is as follows;
Iain Gray- Leader
Johann Lamont- Deputy Leader
Cathy Jamieson- Housing and Regeneration
Jackie Baillie- Health Spokeswoman
Andy Kerr- Finance and economy
Michael McMahon- Local government spokesman
John Park- Elections and campaigns
Des McNulty- Education
Paul Martin- Parliament Business Manager
Richard Baker- Justice
Sarah Boyack- Environment & Rural Affairs
Pauline McNeill- Culture and Constitution
David Stewart- Chief Whip
Both Jackie Baillie’s and Cathy Jamieson’s new appointments are both very interesting.
Jackie Baillie has been very prominent on attacking the SNP on the C diff outbreak at the Vale of Leven Hospital. However there are still a lot of unhappy constituents in Dumbarton who remember who axed A&E services at the Vale and Baillie is sure to come under fire once more now she is charge of health for the shadow cabinet.
Cathy Jamieson taking over the housing brief may indicate that Labour see Alex Neil, the SNP’s Housing and Communities Minister as more as a threat than they let on if Jamieson is to take him on in future.
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Strange that there seems to be no shadow transport appointment.
ReplyDeleteRobert,
ReplyDeleteIt was announced last night that Charlie Gordon, who had to resign from his post due to the controversy regarding Wendy Alexander donations is back as shadow transport and infrustructure.
Others just announced last night include:
Cathie Craigie and Rhoda Grant join the whips, James Kelly is the party's community safety spokesman and Cathy Peattie is the climate change spokesperson.
Though Labour's team does seem massive compared to the other parties, Over half the parties MSP's seem to be on the shadow cabinet...