Kezia Dugdale To Unveil Scottish Labour Front Bench Team
Scottish Labour's new leader Kezia Dugdale will announce her front bench team today.
Scottish Labour's new leader Kezia Dugdale will announce her front bench team today.
Ms Dugdale, who was elected to lead the party on Saturday, will unveil 10 appointments during a visit in Edinburgh.
The new team, which will be gender balanced, will see a move away from shadowing government ministers' portfolios.
Appointments will include spokespeople for equality, with a remit including health and welfare, opportunity - taking in schools and childcare - and justice, covering justice and policing.
A public services and wealth creation spokesperson will be appointed to speak on areas including finance, infrastructure, business and delivery of public services, while a community spokesperson will cover housing and local government.
Ms Dugdale and her deputy Alex Rowley will also be joined by an environmental justice spokesperson, a democracy spokesperson - covering the constitution and Europe - and a reform spokesperson, covering party and parliamentary reform.
A business manager and chief whip complete the team.
Ms Dugdale said: The role of my front bench team will be to communicate Labour values. Too often people tell us they don't know what Labour stands for.
Under my leadership there will be no doubt about what we stand for and who we stand with. The job titles of my front bench team are part of that.''
She added: The idea of simply shadowing government ministers is outdated. Of course we must hold the SNP government to account for its failings on schools, our NHS and policing - and we will do that.
But I want to shake things up and have a fresh start. We need to be out and about across Scotland.
The key focus of every single member of my front bench team will be setting out a positive Labour vision of transforming Scotland.''