Scottish Labour Front Bench Revealed

Leader Kezia Dugdale has named her Holyrood team just days after taking the helm.

Ms Dugdale says her instruction to every member of her front bench team is to get out around Scotland setting out a positive Labour vision of transforming the country. She says members of the new team will no longer simply shadow SNP Government ministers, but will instead focus more on communicating Labour values to the public.
 
In the coming days Ms Dugdale will announce the junior members of her front bench team, as well as appoint the conveners of the Public Audit Committee, Welfare Reform Committee, Health Committee, Public Petitions Committee and Equal Opportunities Committee.
 
Scottish Labour Leader Kezia Dugdale said: "I am excited about the future. We all know the big task that faces Scottish Labour in the months and years ahead, but we're up for it. My new team has a good mix of experience and vision to start the task of renewing Scottish Labour.
 
"The most important goal of any party must be to ensure that the life chances of our young people are determined by their potential, work rate and ambition, not by their background. These values will drive my team in every portfolio.
 
"Everybody in Scottish politics needs to get up to speed with the changed mood of the nation. The public will no longer accept politicians from any party complaining about what we can't do. We all need to offer a positive vision of what we will do with the powers we do have."
 
Front bench team:

•  Leader - Kezia Dugdale
• Deputy Leader - Alex Rowley - covering policy and strategy
• Equality Spokesperson - Jenny Marra - covering health, equalities, welfare, care, social inclusion
• Opportunity Spokesperson - Iain Gray - covering schools, childcare, skills, lifelong learning, sport, science, workplace issues
• Justice Spokesperson - Graeme Pearson- covering justice and policing
• Public Services and Wealth Creation Spokesperson - Jackie Baillie - Finance, infrastructure, business, delivery of public services, tourism
• Community Spokesperson - Ken Macintosh - covering housing, local government, cities, planning, island communities 
• Environmental Justice Spokesperson - Sarah Boyack - covering transport, environment and rural affairs, land reform, climate change, energy (including oil and gas)
• Democracy Spokesperson - Claire Baker - covering constitution, Europe, culture, power in society
• Reform Spokesperson - Mary Fee - covering party and parliamentary reform
• Business Manager - James Kelly - covering parliamentary business
• Chief Whip - Neil Bibby - covering parliamentary business