Humza Yousaf has appointed his first Cabinet, securing top posts for his supporters.
Senior members of the SNP parliamentary group filed into Bute House on Wednesday to be told which jobs they will be given, just hours after the First Minister was sworn in at the Court of Session.
Deputy First Minister Shona Robison, who was appointed to the deputy role on Tuesday, will also take on the finance portfolio, while Yousaf’s campaign manager in the SNP leadership race, Neil Gray, will be elevated to Cabinet Secretary for the Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy.
Michael Matheson will become Health Secretary; Jenny Gilruth has received a promotion from transport minister to Education Secretary, replacing Shirley-Anne Somerville; Mairi Gougeon will stay in place as Rural Affairs Secretary and Angus Robertson remains the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture Secretary.
Somerville becomes the Social Justice Secretary, replacing Robison, while Angela Constance takes on a Cabinet role once again, replacing Keith Brown as Justice and Home Affairs Secretary.
Mairi McAllan will become the Energy Secretary.
Former business minister Ivan McKee turned down a role in Yousaf’s Cabinet.
Joe FitzPatrick was appointed minister for local government empowerment, with Jenni Minto as minister for public health and women’s health while minister for social care, mental wellbeing and sport went to Maree Todd.
The minister for green skills, circular economy and biodiversity is Green MSP Lorna Slater. Fellow Green MSP Patrick Harvie also remains in post as minister for zero carbon buildings, active travel and tenants’ rights.
Natalie Don is the new minister for children, young people and keeping the promise and Graeme Dey will be the minister for higher and further education, as well as minister for veterans.
Kevin Stewart will replace Gilruth as minister for transport, and Richard Lochhead was appointed minister for small business, innovation and trade.
Gillian Martin was appointed as minister for energy, with Christina McKelvie as minister for culture, Europe and international development.
Finishing the line-up is Emma Roddick as minister for equalities, migration and refugees, Paul McLennan as minister for housing and Siobhian Brown as minister for victims and community safety.
In a statement after the appointments, Yousaf said: “The Cabinet team I have unveiled reflects the priorities that we will pursue as a government – including tackling child poverty, improving public services and building a fairer, greener economy.
“Ahead of my appointment as First Minister, I have committed myself to a radical, ambitious and progressive policy agenda for Scotland – and I know that this team is the right one to deliver it.”
Just two previous Cabinet ministers are leaving the top jobs as Yousaf takes office - Kate Forbes, who turned down the job of rural affairs in favour of a return to the backbenches - and SNP depute leader Keith Brown.
It is unclear if Brown - who served as justice secretary under Sturgeon - will be given a junior ministerial post.
Yousaf thanked the ministers leaving government, praising their handling of “many storms not of our making”, as well as hailing the leadership of Sturgeon and former deputy first minister John Swinney.
He went on to say that the government should “look as much as possible like the people we represent”, adding he is “pleased” that a record number of women will serve in Cabinet, “as well as a significant blend of younger and more experienced members”, but stressed “every single appointment has been made on merit”.
The offer to Ms Forbes - seen by many as a demotion - has endangered Yousaf’s attempts to bring together a party that has felt the full impact of a bruising leadership contest, which he won with a slim 52% to 48% margin.
Of the Cabinet appointments, not one was an opponent of Yousaf’s bid to be leader of the SNP.
But Robison said Forbes’ decision was based on wanting to get “out of the spotlight” after recently having a baby.
She was on maternity leave when Sturgeon announced she would resign and throughout the leadership campaign, planning to return in the coming weeks.
Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland, Robison said: “I understand that the discussion was very cordial and was very much centred on what Kate’s thoughts were, and I think she had reflected upon how hard the campaign had been for family life and her desire for a better work-life balance, and she decided that time out of the spotlight would be best to spend time with her family, which is understandable.”
In the hours before making the appointments, Yousaf was sworn in at the Court of Session on Wednesday morning, making him the first person from an ethnic minority background to hold the post, as well as the youngest.
Wearing a traditional Pakistani shalwar kameez and watched by his family from the public gallery of Scotland’s highest court, he took the three oaths of office, administered by the Lord President, Lord Carloway.
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