Carlaw says his team can take Tories into power

RESHUFFLE: New leader says he now has ‘best people fighting in the best places’

Scottish Conservatives leader Jackson Carlaw has reshuffled his front bench team – with leadership rival Michelle Ballantyne axed from her post.

Mr Carlaw, who won the leadership election to succeed Ruth Davidson last week, has pledged the Scottish Tories will “change further and for the better”, with a “new and reinvigorated team at Holyrood”.

Donald Cameron has been promoted from Europe and external affairs spokesman to become finance spokesman, shadowing the SNP’S new appointee Kate Forbes and replacing Murdo Fraser.

Adam Tomkins, a constitutional law expert, has been replaced as the party’s constitution spokesman in favour of Mr Fraser, while Liz Smith has been dropped from the education portfolio and replaced by Jamie Greene.

Mr Tomkins has been appointed to a newly-created “strategy” post, with Ms Smith becoming the party’s chief whip.

Ms Ballantyne, who won 1,581 votes to Mr Carlaw’s 4,917 in the leadership contest, has lost her social security brief – which also covers housing and communities – to Graham Simpson.

In the first few hours after his victory, Mr Carlaw announced Glasgow MSP Annie Wells will be joint deputy leader alongside Mr Carlaw’s campaign manager Liam Kerr, who has been in the role since September.

Ms Wells will take on the environment, climate change and land reform brief, while Mr Kerr will be justice spokesman.

Rachael Hamilton becomes party chairwoman and has also now been named spokeswoman on the rural economy.

The latest reshuffle – which leaves the junior posts still to be filled – also

We need to prove to the people of Scotland that we’re a government in waiting. JACKSON CARLAW

includes Maurice Golden becoming economy and culture spokesman, replacing Dean Lockhart who moves to the business and transport brief. Miles Briggs remains the party’s health spokesman.

Mr Carlaw said: “This is a brand new shadow cabinet designed to take on the SNP leading up to May 2021 and take the Scottish Conservatives into government after it.

“We’ve got the best people fighting in the best places and they’re going to bring us on to the next level.

“It’s simply not enough for us to be a strong and effective opposition any more.

“We need to prove to the people of Scotland that we’re a government in waiting and that’s exactly what I intend to do over the next 15 months.

“The nationalists’ time in government is coming to an end and we’re ready to step up and step in.”