NICOLA Sturgeon has announced her new cabinet with a bold statement on education.
The First Minister has put closing the attainment gap as her top priority and she has put John Swinney in charge as Education Secretary.
She has put the Deputy First Minister and the most experienced cabinet secretary in the post to deliver on the promise she said she wants to be judged on.
Mr Swinney moving form Finance and the Economy means Keith Brown is promoted from Infrastructure to the new post of Economy, and Jobs secretary while Derek McKay gets the biggest promotion from transport minister to Finance Secretary, with responsibility for the Scottish Budget.
The team to keep Scotland moving forward: @NicolaSturgeon’s newly-appointed Cabinet. pic.twitter.com/JOzMVVUwfL
— The SNP (@theSNP) May 18, 2016
Angela Constance was, as expected, moved from education and take over as Communities and Social Security Secretary, Fergus Ewing is promoted from energy minister to Rural Economy Secretary.
Michael Matheson remains at Justice Shona Robison say in her Health Secretary job and Fiona Hyslop stays as Culture Secretary.
Read more: Alex Neil resigns as social justice secretary
The cabinet is gender balanced again with five men and five women.
Junior ministerial roles will be announced later to complete the Scottish Government team.
Read more: Richard Lochhead to step down from Scottish Cabinet
Alex Neil stepped down as Equalities Secretary and Richard Lochhead as Environment Secretary before the re-shuffle.
The Cabinet reshuffle in full
First Minister: Nicola Sturgeon
Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills: John Swinney
Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Constitution: Derek Mackay
Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport: Shona Robison
Cabinet Secretary for the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform: Roseanna Cunningham
Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs: Fiona Hyslop
Cabinet Secretary for Communities, Social Security and Equalities: Angela Constance
Cabinet Secretary for Justice: Michael Matheson
Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work: Keith Brown
Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy and Connectivity: Fergus Ewing
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