Salmond defends Cabinet reshuffle

Sep 6 2012

The First Minister has defended changes to his Cabinet after he was accused of putting independence before the "people's priorities".

Opposition leaders turned on Alex Salmond at Holyrood, claiming the SNP leader is prioritising the constitution ahead of the economy, health, justice and education.

A Cabinet reshuffle has seen Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon moved from Health Secretary to become Infrastructure, Investment and Cities Secretary.

She will also head the Government's work on the constitution, playing a key role in the drive to persuade people to vote for independence in the proposed 2014 referendum.

Labour leader Johann Lamont claimed that the move means the First Minister has "reduced the ministerial responsibility for economic recovery to a part-time post".

She told Mr Salmond: "The people's priorities are jobs, paying your bills, putting food on the table. When will he realise it's not independence Scots care about, it's the economy stupid?"

Mr Salmond told her that "every single member" of his Government is focused on economic recovery.

Tory leader Ruth Davidson also hit out at the First Minister, claiming that the Scottish Government's focus on independence means that education is in "chaos" while justice is "little more than an after-thought".

Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said that both health and the economy have been downgraded.