Iain Gray appoints leadership rivals to new shadow cabinet

NEWLY-elected Labour leader Iain Gray today handed key shadow cabinet roles to his two defeated leadership rivals.

Cathy Jamieson was named as health spokeswoman which will see her shadow Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

Meanwhile Andy Kerr takes over Mr Gray's former role as the party's finance spokesman.

Richard Baker, who ran Mr Gray's leadership campaign, becomes the party's justice spokesman, while another supporter, John Park, has been handed the economy and skills brief in the new front-bench team.

"I am delighted with the team I have put together and that they have all accepted the challenge," Mr Gray said.

"We will continue to hold the SNP administration to account for its failing in serving the Scottish people.

"Apart from their ill-thought out and widely criticised flagship policies on local income tax and a Scottish Futures Trust, which will have serious consequences for hard working Scottish families, they are a government that is failing the poorest and most vulnerable with cuts in local services across Scotland."

Johann Lamont, who was elected party deputy leader on Saturday, replaces Jackie Baillie as chief of staff.

Rhona Brankin and Sarah Boyack stay at education and environment respectively, while Pauline McNeill moves from the justice brief to Europe, external affairs and culture.

"I am especially pleased that Cathy Jamieson and Andy Kerr have chosen to serve in the shadow cabinet after the contribution they made to the leadership election campaign that helped Labour get back in touch with our party roots," Mr Gray added.

"As well as experience we welcome new faces that have distinguished themselves already in the Parliament such as John Park.

"John's profile in the skills and economy field shows Labour is putting the skills and regeneration of the Scottish workforce at the heart of our programme."

Mr Gray will chair his first shadow cabinet meeting at Holyrood later this afternoon.

Highlands and Islands MSP David Stewart becomes the party's chief whip, replacing Mr Baker, while Michael McMahon stays on as parliamentary business manager.

Margaret Curran, Labour's defeated candidate in the Glasgow East by-election, had already been appointed to start developing policy for the 2011 election.

Mr Gray was elected leader on Saturday after Wendy Alexander resigned in June after a row over donations to her own, unopposed, campaign for the top job a year ago.

The new Labour front-bench team came under fire from SNP chief whip Brian Adam.

"This is a Gray team not an A team for Labour," he said.

"While Iain Gray shuffles the deckchairs in Scotland the new Labour ship is sinking.

"With Andy Kerr, Cathy Jamieson, Margaret Curran, Rhona Brankin and Sarah Boyack still in Labour's team there is little sign of new blood, new policy or new ideas in the Labour Party.

"Iain Gray may claim to have ripped up Labour's manifesto but by keeping the remnants of Jack McConnell's administration with Kerr, Curran and Jamieson he has failed to move forward from Labour's poor performances of recent years."