NINE new ministers were appointed by Nicola Sturgeon as she completed the reshuffle of her government yesterday with all but two among the intake of SNP MSPs first elected in 2016.
Kate Forbes was handed the post of Minister for Public Finance and Digital Economy, working with the Finance Secretary on managing the Scottish Government budget and on tax policy.
The SNP MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch was among those first elected in 2016 having previously worked as an accountant in the banking industry.
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon appoints new generation of SNP ministers
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon unveils 'fresh talent' after Cabinet reshuffle
Still just in her 20s, the Gaelic speaker is among the youngest politician to serve as a Scottish Government minister since devolution in 1999. Her appointment follows a period working as Finance Secretary Derek Mackay’s parliamentary liaison officer – his eyes and ears around the parliament. She was also a member, along with Mackay, of the SNP’s Growth Commission which set out a new economic case for independence.
Forbes is an accomplished media performer, receiving considerable praise within the party for her recent appearance on BBC’s Question Time.
Clare Haughey, who was first elected to Holyrood as MSP for Rutherglen, will take on the role of Minister for Mental Health replacing Maureen Watt. Haughey brings professional experience to the post having worked as a mental health nurse and clinical manager and continues to hold an honorary nursing position.
Before her appointment Haughey was convener of Holyrood’s standards, procedures and public appointments committee, which last week recommended the suspension of one month without pay of Mark McDonald, the former SNP minister, who resigned last year over inappropriate conduct.
Ivan McKee is also among ‘the class of 2016’ having first been elected then as MSP for Glasgow Provan. A former successful businessman and a member of the pro-independence Business for Scotland group McKee will take on the role of Minister for Trade, Investment and Innovation, with a brief of attracting inward investment and boosting exports.
Before his ministerial appointment McKee was a parliamentary liaison officer to former Economy Secretary Keith Brown and played a key role in helping Brown get elected to the SNP’s depute position earlier this month.
McKee is a regular media contributor writing for The National and appearing on television politics shows. He played a significant role in the Yes campaign ahead of the September 2014 referendum and is a member of the Scottish Independence Convention.
Ben Macpherson takes on the role of Minister for Europe, Migration and International Development succeeding Alasdair Allan. Another of the 2016 intake, MacPherson was elected as MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith.
Gillian Martin, the new Minister for Higher Education, succeeded Alex Salmond as the MSP in Aberdeen East in 2016. Before entering politics she worked as a lecturer in television production at Aberdeen College, and ran her own company making films and videos for offshore firms.
Mairi Gougeon is the new Minister for Rural Affairs and the Natural Environment and is another from the class of 2016. Earlier this year she brought forward a member’s bill to introduce new, victim-focused stalking protection orders.
Ash Denham – Minister for Community Safety – worked for think tank Common Weal before the 2016 election.
She won Kenny MacAskill’s old Edinburgh Eastern seat, beating Labour’s Kezia Dugdale. During her time in Parliament she has campaigned against human trafficking.
Christina McKelvie, first elected in 2011 as SNP MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse, was appointed to a new role of Minister for Older People and Equalities. Graeme Dey, also elected in 2011, is the new Minister for Parliamentary Business and Veterans, reporting to Michael Russell.
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