Runners and riders as John Swinney poised to select his new SNP Cabinet
John Swinney is due to select his new Cabinet later this week.
With key members of John Swinney’s Cabinet standing down at the election and Angus Robertson losing his seat, the SNP leader has some big decisions to make this week in picking his top team.
After Mr Swinney is sworn in as first minister at the Court of Session on Wednesday after being voted in by MSPs at Holyrood on Tuesday, attention will turn to who he will pick to place in his Cabinet.
There are lots of variables at play - Mr Swinney may decide to slim down his Cabinet, gender balance will be a big consideration and he may choose to alter the job titles of his team.
Mairi McAllan
Long-tipped to be a shoo-in as Mr Swinney’s next deputy first minister, following the departure of Kate Forbes.
Ms McAllan was the SNP’s housing secretary before the election and previously net zero secretary. She played a prominent role in the SNP’s election campaign and is poised to return to the Scottish Cabinet.
But there’s no guarantee that Ms McAllan will be named the new deputy first minister.
Shirley-Anne Sommerville
Ms Sommerville is one of Mr Swinney’s most experienced ministers and was his social justice secretary before the election and could be seen as a candidate for deputy first minister.
One of the big questions for Mr Swinney will be who he makes finance secretary following the departure of Shona Robison and Ms Somerville could be on that shortlist.
Angela Constance
The justice secretary is another minister who Mr Swinney will certainly keep in his Cabinet.
Ms Constance’s justice brief is one she would not be keen on letting go of, but will Mr Swinney keep her in post or move her to another high-profile position?
Neil Gray
The Health Secretary is set to continue being a big voice in Mr Swinney’s Cabinet.
Mr Swinney and Mr Gray have boasted about the progress they argue has been made in improving the NHS, so it would surprise nobody if Mr Gray continued in that role.
Jenny Gilruth
As with the rest of the remaining Cabinet before the election, it is extremely likely Ms Gilruth will remain in Mr Swinney’s top team, and given her background as a teacher, it would raise no eyebrows to see her remain as education secretary.
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Gillian Martin
Ms Martin has played a key part in the SNP softening its message on oil and gas as Mr Swinney’s energy secretary.
It is likely Mr Martin will remain in post, unless Mr Swinney sees it as a good fit for a big name making his way to Holyrood from Westminster.
Stephen Flynn
Mr Flynn, with his Aberdeen background, could be placed straight into the Cabinet as energy secretary.
Mr Swinney may take the decision not to plonk any brand new MSPs straight into a cabinet secretary role, but the optics around what job Mr Flynn is given or not given, will be stark, whatever the outcome.
Alison Thewliss
Alison Thewliss has a reputation from her time at Westminster as a dedicated, hard-working politician.
It is clear that Ms Thewliss would be an asset to Mr Swinney in government.
Mr Swinney is also looking for a new junior minister after former equalities minister Kaukab Stewart lost her Glasgow Southside seat.
Stephen Gethins
Mr Gethins has a reputation as an academic and key thinker in the modern SNP movement.
He will likely play a key role in Mr Swinney’s government at some point over the next five years. Whether Mr Swinney is willing to bring a new MSP straight into government is a key question we will get an answer to this week.
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