Ex-minister gets new Holyrood job

Sacked minister Gillian Martin suggested she was the victim of “game-playing” after she took up a new post chairing a Holyrood committee.

The SNP MSP has been appointed convener of the Scottish Parliament’s environment, climate change and land reform committee.

The appointment was made just over two months aftershewasremovedashigher education minister before her post in government could be ratified.

Ms Martin, MSP for Aberdeenshire East, departed Nicola Sturgeon’s government after the emergence of “offensive” blog posts in which she used derogatory language to describe transgender people and black people.

In an interview with the Press & Journal, Ms Martin was asked about her change in fortune. She said: “From my perspective, I think that a majority of people in this place [Holyrood] – although there is game playing going on in the chamber – know when it is a game and it is something that has been done to score political points rather than being personal.”

A Lib Dem spokesperson accused Ms Martin of attempting to “re-write history” adding her behaviour fell short of the expectations for those who hold public office.