Achi news desk-
She will take the Economy portfolio and responsibility for Gaelic
Shona Robison, who resigned as deputy prime minister, will remain in Cabinet with responsibility for Finance and Local Government
All of the other ministers retain their posts.
The Tories said the limited reshuffle was “just Humza Yousaf’s cabinet with a different front.”
Anas Sarwar described it as a “continuity cabinet.”
Mr Swinney said: “Before I was appointed First Minister, I committed to working together across Parliament to tackle the pressing issues facing the people of Scotland.
“With that in mind, I have chosen a Cabinet team that combines experience and energy, with a strong focus on the priorities my government will pursue – eradicating child poverty, driving economic growth, meeting climate obligations and investing in our public services essential.
“My main priority will be to work to eradicate child poverty in Scotland, an issue on which real progress has been made through measures such as the Scottish Child Payment. The government that I lead will make the most of every incentive available to us to tackle the scourge of poverty in our country.
“A strong economy supports the delivery of services that people rely on – health, education, housing, and transport – and so each of these areas aligns with specific roles in my Cabinet, with a focus on ensuring that people see their lives improve as a result of the actions of their Scottish Government.
“I believe that the best way to serve Scotland’s future is as an independent country – but I recognize that more people need to be convinced of that before independence can be secured. My Cabinet will also focus efforts on reaching out to those who remain unconvinced, with respect and courtesy, to ensure that the people of Scotland have the democratic right to choose their own future.”
Scottish Conservative chairman Craig Hoy said: “This is quite simply Humza Yousaf’s cabinet with a different front.
“The return of Kate Forbes is a desperate effort by John Swinney and his new deputy to gloss over the huge rifts in the SNP and limit independence.
“A year ago, Mr Swinney questioned whether Kate Forbes was an ‘appropriate person’ to lead the SNP, but now he considers her fit to be his second in command.
“Similarly, Ms Forbes, who warned that ‘continuity won’t cut it’, has now joined a Cabinet with continuity at its core in exchange for a great job under Nicola Sturgeon’s right-hand man.
“This uninspired cabinet is further evidence that John Swinney as Prime Minister will mean more of the same.
“His fingerprints are all over the failed SNP policies that have damaged Scotland, while he has already doubled down on the SNP’s obsession with independence, instead of focusing on real public priorities such as fixing our ailing public services and grow the economy.
“When the election comes, voters will have the opportunity to punish the squabbling, failing, distracting SNP and get the focus back on the issues that matter – and, in key seats on across Scotland, only the Scottish Conservatives can beat them.”
Scottish Labour’s Deputy Leader, Jackie Baillie, said: “Once again the SNP is putting its own party’s interests ahead of the country’s interests with this unwavering reshuffle.
“After 17 years of failure, every single institution in Scotland is now weaker and those responsible remain at the heart of government.
“This is a continuity cabinet, which cannot be trusted to fix the chaos and instability they have created.
“With two of the former Finance Secretaries responsible for putting public money in the bin in the highest positions, there is more chaos from the SNP ahead of us.
“Scotland needs change and the people of Scotland know that continuity will not cut it – we need an election.
“Only Scottish Labor can stop the division and decline of the SNP and provide the new start our country needs.”
Meanwhile, the Scottish Government has shared details of a conversation between Mr Swinney and Rishi Sunak.
The two men spoke on Wednesday afternoon, with the First Minister saying he was “prepared to work constructively with the UK Government in a sincere effort to deliver for the people of Scotland and reduce polarization in politics.”
A spokesman said that Mr Swinney “has stated his determination to eradicate child poverty and has urged the UK Government to work with him towards that goal by changing course on policies such as the two-child benefit cap which is causing distress to many of families in Scotland.”
He also said that the First Minister had made it clear that the Scottish Government “will continue to respectfully persuade the people of Scotland of the cause for independence, and that the decision on the future of Scotland should be for the people of Scotland made it.”
