Scottish Cabinet Reshuffle RECAP: Nicola Sturgeon has announced her new Cabinet line-up

The First Minister is set to appoint cabinet ministers throughout today.

The reshuffle is taking place after the SNP won a record fourth term in government at Holyrood, although Ms Sturgeon’s party just fell short of winning an overall majority at Holyrood.

The election in May also saw a number of senior politicians leave the Scottish Parliament, with Constitution Secretary Mike Russell, Health Secretary Jeane Freeman, Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham and Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell all choosing to step away from politics, while energy minister Paul Wheelhouse failed to be re-elected.

Now, Ms Sturgeon will announce her cabinet for the next Scottish parliamentary term – and you can follow all the updates right here.

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Scottish Cabinet reshuffle LIVE: First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announces cabinet for next Scottish parliamentary term

Key Events

Nicola Sturgeon has announced her new Cabinet line-up
John Swinney to take charge of Scotland’s Covid recovery
Hyslop and Ewing to leave Scottish cabinet
Humza Yousaf becomes Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care
Kate Forbes retains the finance brief

Wed, 19 May, 2021, 09:57 BST

Wed, 19 May, 2021, 09:56 BST

Fiona Hyslop and Fergus Ewing to step down from Scottish government

Fiona Hyslop and Fergus Ewing have announced that they are stepping down from the Scottish government

The Scottish government has announced that two of its longest serving ministers – Fiona Hyslop and Fergus Ewing – are stepping down.

Wed, 19 May, 2021, 09:51 BST

Two of Scotland’s longest-serving cabinet secretaries are to leave the Scottish Government, it has been announced.

Both Economy Secretary Fiona Hyslop and Rural Economy and Tourism Secretary Fergus Ewing have been part of the Scottish cabinet since 2007 – the year the SNP came to power.

But with Nicola Sturgeon conducting a major reshuffle of her ministerial team, she confirmed both Ms Hyslop and Mr Ewing would no longer be part of it.

The First Minister has already announced that John Swinney is being moved from the education brief within the Scottish Government, and will now be Scotland’s Coronavirus Recovery Secretary, at the same time as remaining in post as the Deputy First Minister.

Speaking as she began her cabinet reshuffle, Ms Sturgeon said: “I want to pay tribute to the work of both Fiona Hyslop and Fergus Ewing and to thank them for their unstinting public service over many years.

“Fiona has served in Cabinet since 2007, firstly as Education Secretary, then as Culture and External Affairs Secretary before taking on the Economy and Fair Work portfolio.

“Her tenure in the External Affairs brief saw Fiona oversee the expansion of the Scottish Government’s international footprint, giving our country a higher profile than it has ever had before on the global stage, and that is a legacy which she can and should be justly proud of.”

Wed, 19 May, 2021, 09:43 BST

John Swinney moved from education to take charge of Scotland’s Covid recovery

John Swinney said he is “honoured” to have been made Scotland’s Covid Recovery Secretary as Nicola Sturgeon announced the first move in her post-election cabinet reshuffle.

The First Minister revealed Mr Swinney was being given the new role – which will see him moved from the job of Education Secretary.

Ms Sturgeon, who confirmed Mr Swinney would remain as her Deputy First Minister, said making him Covid Recovery Secretary would be a “key step in getting Scotland’s recovery off to the right start”.

Mr Swinney said on Twitter serving as Education Secretary for the past five years had been a “privilege”, as he wished his successor well.

But it came after Labour had called for him to be sacked from his education brief for a “litany of failures”.

Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said: “It is right that John Swinney has been moved on from his previous role. He has left a wake of damaging failures behind him that require urgent action to fix. ”

But she added: “Putting him in charge of our recovery is potentially gambling with the health and well-being of the nation.

“While we wish him well, he must demonstrate quickly that he is up to the job.”

Scottish Cabinet Reshuffle RECAP: Shirley-Anne Somerville replaces John Swinney at education | Nicola Sturgeon keeps Kate Forbes at finance | Humza Yousaf new Health Secretary | Angus Robertson and Keith Brown back in cabinet | Mairi Gougeon joins top team