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September 12, 2004

New SNP shadow cabinet announced

Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon announced the new SNP shadow cabinet today. The full list of appointments is below. Leaving aside personalities, here are some comments on the way the jobs have been structured.

Justice and social justice are two separate briefs. This is an interesting idea, but how will it work in practice? The environment, rural affairs, energy and fisheries are all combined, as are transport, tourism and telecommunications. Does that make sense? Are there conflicts of interest here - between, for example, the environment and fisheries? Would it make more sense to have the environment (and energy), distinguished from infrastructure (telecommunications and transport), and rural affairs (including fisheries and tourism).

Culture and sport are combined. Why? Because the Labour Party philistines combine them? Culture would be better linked with education, and sport with enterprise. Better still, culture could have its own representative, given that cultural development (in a broad sense) is likely to be a pre-condition for independence.

Who gets the internet? That isn’t clear. Perhaps it goes with telecommunications?

www.snp.org/html/news/printerfriendly.php?newsID=2417

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3649496.stm

news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=324&id=1072772004

Party Leader and Westminster Group Leader: Alex Salmond MP
Depute Leader and Scottish Parliament Group Leader: Nicola Sturgeon MSP
Business Manager/Chief Whip:Tricia Marwick MSP
Party Business Convener (Subject To Approval By SNP National Council): Bruce Crawford MSP

Health and Community Care: Shona Robison MSP
Education and Lifelong Learning: Fiona Hyslop MSP
Justice: Kenny Macaskill MSP
Environment, Rural Affairs, Energy and Fisheries: Richard Lochhead MSP
Social Justice: Christine Grahame MSP
Transport, Tourism and Telecommunications: Fergus Ewing MSP
Enterprise and Economy: Jim Mather MSP
Culture and Sport: Michael Matheson MSP
Finance: Alasdair Morgan MSP
Work and Pensions: Mike Weir MP
Defence and International Affairs: Angus Robertson MP
European Union: Ian Hudghton MEP
Local Government: Cllr David Alexander (Leader, Falkirk Council)

SNP nominations for committee convenerships: Health Committee: Roseanna Cunningham MSP
Enterprise Committee: Alex Neil MSP
European Committee: John Swinney MSP
Standards Committee: Brian Adam MSP

Member On SPCB: Andrew Welsh MSP

Posted by Simon Holledge at September 12, 2004 04:04 PM