New culture secretary appointed in Scottish cabinet reshuffle
Scotland's first minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced her new cabinet, which sees Fiona Hyslop stepping down as culture secretary after 14 years in government.
Angus Robertson has assumed the role of cabinet secretary for the constitution, external affairs and culture, while Jenny Gilruth has been appointed minister for culture, Europe and international development.
The reshuffle follows the SNP’s success in Scottish parliamentary elections earlier this month.
Hyslop, MSP for Linlithgow and one of Scottish government’s longest-serving ministers, joined as education secretary in 2007, going on to become secretary for culture, tourism and external affairs before assuming additional responsibility for economy, jobs and fair work in February 2020.
In a joint statement thanking both Hyslop and fellow departing cabinet member Fergus Ewing, Sturgeon said: “I want to pay tribute to the work of both Fiona Hyslop and Fergus Ewing and to thank them for their unstinting public service over many years.
“Her tenure in the external affairs brief saw Fiona oversee the expansion of the Scottish government’s international footprint, giving our country a higher profile than it has ever had before on the global stage, and that is a legacy which she can and should be justly proud of.”
“I want to offer my sincere thanks to Fiona and Fergus for their service, and wish them well as they continue to serve their constituents in the new parliament.”
On the subject of the new cabinet, Hyslop tweeted from her official Twitter account:
Angus Robertson, the new culture secretary, is a former depute leader of the SNP and was leader of the SNP in the House of Commons until 2017. He became MSP for Edinburgh Central earlier in May.
Robertson said he was “honoured” to assume the role of secretary.
Gilruth has been the MSP for Mid Fife and Glenrothes since 2016.
In a statement about the new cabinet, Sturgeon said: “I’m delighted to announce the Scottish government’s new cabinet team. Scotland needs a serious government for the serious times we face as a nation, and in the top level ministerial line-up I have announced today we have exactly that.
“It is a government which will drive Scotland forward, as we look to build a just, fair and sustainable recovery from the Covid pandemic.
“My cabinet team combines experience with new arrivals and fresh faces, giving us the range and depth of talent we need to tackle the pressing issues we need to tackle, from Covid to climate change.”