Humza Yousaf’s new Cabinet is younger than any previous Scottish Cabinet and the first with a female majority.
Five of the ten members are under 40, including Mr Yousaf himself. And there are six women and four men. There is a mix of familiar faces and new names. There are two ministers who have been MSPs since the very start of the Scottish Parliament in 1989 and two new entries to the Cabinet who were only elected at the last Holyrood election. A couple of those who have served before are staying in the same posts, but others are taking on new challenges.
After winning the race to succeed Nicola Sturgeon as SNP leader on Monday, then being elected First Minister in the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday and sworn in at the Court of Session on Wednesday morning, Mr Yousaf put his top team together on Wednesday afternoon and completed the junior ministerial appointments in the evening. All the names were put to the Scottish Parliament on Thursday and duly approved.
1. The team assembles
The full Cabinet assemble on the steps of Bute House, the First Minister's official residence, in Charlotte Square. First Minister Humza Yousaf is in the front and centre, with (left to right) on the back row: Angela Constance, Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs, Mairi McAllan, Secretary for Net Zero and Just Transition, Angus Robertson, Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture, Shirley-Anne Sommerville, Secretary for Social Justice, and Mairi Geougeon, Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, and on the front row: Jenny Gilruth, Secretary for Education and Skills, Neil Gray, Secretary for Wellbeing, Economy, Fair Work and Energy, Shona Robinson, Deputy First Minister and Secretary for Finance and Michael Matheson, Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care. Photo: Andrew Milligan
2. Humza Yousaf - First Minister
Age: 37 MSP for Glasgow Pollok Born in Glasgow, Humza Yousaf studied politics at Glasgow University and worked as an aide to Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon before being elected to the Scottish Parliament in 2011. He was made minister for external affairs and international development in 2012, then served as Europe minister, 2014-16, moving to be minister for transport and the islands in 2016 and was promoted to the cabinet as justice secretary in 2018 before becoming health secretary in 2019. This week, he defeated Kate Forbes by 52 per cent to 48 per cent to become SNP leader and First Minister. Photo: Andrew Milligan
3. Shona Robison - Deputy First Minister and Finance Secretary
Age: 57 MSP for Dundee City East Although born in England, he went to school in Scotland and studied at Glasgow University and then worked in Glasgow social work department. An MSP since the start of the Scottish Parliament, she as appointed a junior health minister when the SNP came to power in 2007, then took responsibility for Commonwealth Games preparations, being appointed to Cabinet in April 2014 and then made Health Secretary in November that year. She remained in the role until reigning in 2018 after growing pressure over NHS performance. She returned to Cabinet in 2021 as Social Justice Secretary. Ms Robison is a close friend of Nicola Sturgeon and also close to Mr Yousaf - he lives in her Dundee constituency and his wife used to work in her office. Photo: Scottish Government
4. Michael Matheson - Health and Social Care
Age: 52 MSP for Falkirk West Born in Glasgow, he studied at Queen Margaret University for a degree in occupational therapy and worked as a community occupational therapist before being elected an MSP in the first Scottish Parliament elections in 1999. He served as public health minister from 2011 until 2014, when he was promoted to Cabinet as Justice Secretary. He was moved to be Transport Secretary in 2018, with Energy and Net Zero added to the portfolio in 2021. Photo: Scottish Government