Jim Murphy has unveiled his first shadow cabinet and revealed he will run Labour from Holyrood despite not being an MSP.
The party’s new Scottish leader shifted every politician in the major overhaul, with Jackie Baillie and Dundee-based Jenny Marra earning promotions to finance and health respectively, whilst Iain Gray will take on the finance brief.
Elsewhere, Mid Scotland and Fife representative Claire Baker was promoted to culture, while outspoken Hugh Henry has been brought back into the fold as justice spokesman.
Ken Macintosh, seen as a close ally of Mr Murphy, will shadow social justice, with leadership rivals Neil Findlay and Sarah Boyack covering skills and training, and rural affairs.
Former senior police officer Graeme Pearson has been demoted from justice to enterprise, whilst Drew Smith, seen by some as a rising star, has been dumped altogether having previously been constitution spokesman.
When asked how he could lead his new team at Holyrood while being an MP at Westminster, Mr Murphy told journalists he had been granted a pass for the Scottish Parliament and will be basing himself in Edinburgh.
Scottish Labour’s full frontbench team is:
Leader – Jim Murphy
Deputy Leader – Kezia Dugdale
Finance, Constitution and Economy – Jackie Baillie
Infrastructure, Investment and Cities – Mary Fee
Fair Work, Skills and Training – Neil Findlay
Education and Lifelong Learning – Iain Gray
Health, Wellbeing and Sport – Jenny Marra
Social Justice, Communities and Pensioners’ Rights – Ken Macintosh
Justice – Hugh Henry
Rural Affairs, Food and Environment – Sarah Boyack
Culture, Europe and External Affairs – Claire Baker
Parliamentary Business Manager – James Kelly
Chief Whip – Neil Bibby
Enterprise – Graeme Pearson
For full analysis, see Wednesday’s Courier.