Labour’s new leader in Scotland has said it is “outdated” to think of the Opposition’s role as simply shadowing government ministers as she prepares to unveil her frontbench team today.
Aberdeen-born Kezia Dugdale, who beat Ken Macintosh in the race to replace Jim Murphy, said the group would put communicating party values at the heart of everything it does.
Among those who could find themselves with a spot are North-East MSPs Lewis Macdonald and Richard Baker, who unsuccessfully contested the deputy leadership, coming third behind Gordon Matheson, leader of Glasgow City Council, and winner Alex Rowley MSP.
Highland and Islands MSPs Rhoda Grant and David Stewart could also find themselves promoted, as well as North East MSP Jenny Marra.
Ms Marra is currently Labour’s shadow cabinet secretary for health, wellbeing and sport at Holyrood and will be joining Ms Dugdale at the Punjabi Junction Café in Edinburgh for the announcement.
Ms Dugdale, 33, who was raised in Elgin, has promised her team will be gender balanced and focus on setting out a positive Labour vision for transforming Scotland.
She said: “The idea of simply shadowing government ministers is outdated.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 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.
“I want a Scotland where power, wealth and opportunity are in the hands of the many, not the few.
“I want a country where a young person’s ability to get on in life is determined by their potential, work rate and ambition, not by their background.”
Scottish Labour’s new front bench briefs will be called equality, opportunity, justice, public services and wealth creation, community, environmental justice, democracy and reform. In addition there will still be a business manager and chief whip.