Yousaf risks disunity with sacking of SNP deputy leader from cabinet

With his opponents eager to paint the SNP as stale after 16 years in office, Mr Yousaf cast out 61-year-old Mr Brown and other older ministers in favour of younger faces.

He also courted controversy by creating a new minister for independence.

Jamie Hepburn will report directly to Mr Yousaf and act as a backroom fixer to coordinate work within the administration on ending the Union. 

The reshuffle included a promotion for Mr Yousaf’s deputy first minister, Shona Robison, who was given the finance secretary’s position, effectively becoming his chancellor. 

The post had been occupied by Kate Forbes, who narrowly lost the SNP leadership contest to Mr Yousaf, and who quit on Tuesday after being offered a demotion to Rural Affairs.

Her former deputy, the trade minister Ivan McKee, also quit yesterday after claiming he had been offered a lesser job, although government sources said he had been offered the same position and resigned because he was not getting a promotion to the cabinet.

Mr Yousaf said his first cabinet would deliver a “radical, ambitious and progressive policy agenda for Scotland”, and focus on tackling child poverty, improving public services and and building a fairer, greener economy.

The reshuffle saw promotions for three junior ministers, with Jenny Gilruth, Mairi McAllan, and Neil Gray, Mr Yousaf’s leadership campaign manager, entering the cabinet.

Former cabinet secretary Angela Constance returned to the top table after two years as a minister for drugs policy, replacing Mr Brown at Justice and Home Affairs.

Mairi Gougeon and Angus Robertson remain at their rural and constitution portfolios.

While Michael Matheson, one of Mr Yousaf’s most trusted cabinet allies, takes on the health and social care portfolio, one of the toughest and most politically important in government. 

Mr Yousaf’s two years at health, which included the second half and aftermath of the Covid pandemic, have seen record waiting times in A&E and 1 in 7 Scots on an NHS backlog. 

Mr Yousaf, who at 37 is the youngest first minister to date, now has the youngest cabinet.

Half of its ten members are under 40, and for the first time more than half are women.

Ms McAllan and Mr Gray were only elected MSPs at the 2021 Holyrood election.

Ms Robison and Mr Matheson are the most experienced members, having both been elected in 1999, and served as ministers since 2009 and 2011 respectively.

Labour said it cemented "the SNP’s new status as a deeply divided party led by B-rate politicians", while the Tories said it was a cabinet of “failed, continuity ministers”.

There was surprise at Mr Brown’s unceremonious ejection.

Although his elected position as SNP depute leader did not guarantee him a position in cabinet, he is a well-known and popular figure among the party’s grassroots activists.

Not unlike Mr Yousaf, he was elected to the post in 2018 in a three-way race decided on second preference votes, although he won with 55 per cent, while Mr Yousaf got 52%. 

A former leader of Clackmannanshire council, he was previously the economy secretary, and had held the justice brief since 2021.

The five-week leadership contest triggered by Nicola Sturgeon’s resignation was one of the most turbulent episodes in the SNP’s history, with feuding among the candidates, allegations of dirty tricks, and resignations over SNP HQ lying about the party’s declining membership.

After winning the race on Monday, Mr Yousaf stressed the need for unity.

“Where there are divisions to heal we must do so and do so quickly,” he said.

The loss of Ms Forbes and Ms McKee were already undermining that goal when Mr Yousaf sacked Mr Brown.

One SNP MSP said: “Members will think it’s odd. Keith is someone many of them will know, and they’ll be wondering what’s going on. It feels a bit unsettling.”

In 2014, Mr Yousaf supported Mr Brown in an earlier bid to be SNP deputy.

The then external affairs minister said Mr Brown, who was transport secretary, was “trustworthy, charismatic and reliable” and the “ideal candidate”, adding: “He's got a fine record in government and his organisational skills are second to none.” 

However it is understood Mr Yousaf wanted an emphasis on change and a younger look to his government, and Mr Brown, Clare Haughey and other ministers didn’t fit.

The creation of a minister for independence was one of Mr Yousaf’s leadership pledges.

Mr Hepburn, the MSP for Cumbernauld and Kilysth, had been the minister for higher and further education, youth employment and training. 

It is understood his overtly political role will be a novelty for the Scottish Government.

He will report directly to Mr Yousaf and operate as a backroom ‘fixer’, coordinating work on independence across the administration.

After announcing his cabinet, Mr Yousaf claimed there “could not be more unity” in the SNP despite the walk-outs and the sacking of Mr Brown.

He said he was disappointed that Ms Forbes had left the government, but said she was “100% behind this Cabinet team, she is 100% behind me as First Minister”.

He said it was it was “inevitable” that some people had to move on.

“Keith Brown has given us exceptional service to this Government and to the country in many different roles. He has his own mandate from the party as deputy leader.”

Transport unions said it was “utterly astonishing” there was no cabinet secretary with transport in their title, after it was lopped off the Net Zero Secretary’s full position, given public anger over ferries and the nationalisation of rail services.

Interim TSSA General Secretary Peter Pendle said: “If they really cared about the future of our railways and buses, or indeed making our ferries work as they should for our island communities, then this decision should be revisited.”

Mr Yousaf was officially sworn in as Scotland’s sixth first minister yesterday morning in a ceremony at the Court of Session by the country’s highest judge, the Lord President Lord Carloway.

He then returned to his Bute House residence to work on his reshuffle, with a succession of ministers and cabinet secretaries arriving over the course of the morning.

The First Minister said afterwards: “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.

“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.

“I have made clear my belief Scotland’s government should look as much as possible like the people we represent.

"As well as being the first ever First Minister from a minority ethnic background, I am pleased that a record number of women have agreed to serve, as well as a significant blend of younger and more experienced members.

“Every single person in this government is clear that it is for the people of Scotland to determine their constitutional future – no one else – and we will work to ensure that they are given that right.

"As we make the case for Scottish independence, we will continue to govern well and demonstrate to the people of Scotland the benefits of decisions about their lives being taken here in Scotland.”

Scottish Tory chairman Craig Hoy MSP said: “This is a cabinet in Humza Yousaf’s image – failed, continuity ministers appointed by a failed, continuity minister. 

“The likes of Shona Robison, Michael Matheson, Angela Constance and Jenny Gilruth have been found sorely wanting in previous ministerial roles, yet all have been ‘rewarded’ with promotion by the new First Minister.

“This cabinet of proven flops and lackeys not only excludes Kate Forbes – who came within a whisker of beating Humza Yousaf in the vitriolic SNP leadership race – but anyone who backed her.

“Humza Yousaf clearly has no intention of ending the SNP’s civil war – just getting his revenge and declaring victory in it.” 

Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said: “The First Minister promised to bring the country together, but he can’t even bring his own party together. This dismal cabinet cements the SNP’s new status as a deeply divided party led by B-rate politicians.

“Loyalty is being rewarded over talent – but both are in short supply in the SNP.” 

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton added: "The downgrading of housing and local government doesn’t bode well for sectors already in crisis on the SNP’s watch.  

“It’s also not clear where transport fits into this mix. Will they just be taking it in turns to make excuses about the ferries?”