ALEX Salmond’s cabinet shake-up was attacked by opposition parties at First Minister’s questions today as MSPs took part in the first weekly joust between the main party leaders of the new parliamentary session.
• ‘Bad tempered’ first session of FMQs in new parliamentary session at Holyrood
• Opposition leaders accuse Alex Salmond of being ‘obsessed’ with independence
• Tory leader Ruth Davidson raises issue of early release scheme from Scottish prisons
• The Scottish Government cabinet was reshuffled by Mr Salmond yesterday
Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont accused Mr Salmond of downgrading the ministerial post for the economy by handing the newly appointed infrastructure minister Nicola Sturgeon special responsibilities for promoting Scottish independence.
Mr Salmond hit back by claiming there was a “dearth of talent” on the Labour benches as he defended the changes to his cabinet that also saw Alex Neil take over Ms Sturgeon’s former role as Health Secretary.
However, Ms Lamont continued with her attack on what she said was Ms Sturgeon’s appointment as a ‘part-time’ infrastructure secretary.
The Labour leader also said that Mr Salmond had an “obsession” with the independence referendum and described Ms Sturgeon as having been “thumped” in her previous role of leading SNP’s Glasgow campaign in local government elections.
But Mr Salmond criticised Labour for sharing a platform with the Conservatives over the independence debate during what was a bad tempered first exchange of the new parliamentary session.
There was another attack on Mr Salmond’s cabinet reshuffle from Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson who went on to talk about “convicted killers and rapists” being set free early from prison in Scotland.
Ms Davidson warned the First Minister that judges and the public are concerned about the early release scheme, as she called on the First Minister to act to protect the public.
However, Mr Salmond said that it was the Conservatives who first introduced early release from Scottish prisons and defended his government’s record, saying crime is falling in Scotland.
Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie continued with the reshuffle theme as he questioned how many civil servants will now be focused on the independence issue.
Mr Rennie claimed that civil servants were being trained to “withhold information” about the consequences of independence. However, Mr Salmond dismissed Mr Rennie’s claims as “ridiculous, nonsense.”
Analysis
Mr Salmond probably came out slightly in front of the opposition party leaders in the first clash of the parliamentary session, although Ms Lamont landed a punch on the First Minister over what she said was the “part time” infrastructure post.
Ms Davidson also appeared to slightly wrong foot Mr Salmond on the issue of early release for violent criminals.