Opposition Spokespeople

We now know who will Shadow the new SNP Executive in the Parliament for Labour and the Tories.

Jack McConnell is Leader of the Opposition, at least for now. Cathy Jamieson will be the Shadow Minister for Parliament, and former Culture Minister Patricia Ferguson will be shadowing Linda Fabiani at Europe, External Affairs and Culture.

Andy Kerr retains his Health portfolio in shadowing Nicola Sturgeon, and Lewis Macdonald stays with Kerr and the Shadow Minister for Public Health. Joining them is Johann Lamont as Shadow Minister for Communities and Sport.

Wendy Alexander will go up against John Swinney as Shadow Finance Secretary. Prepare for a very dull four years. Iain Gray makes his return to the frontbench as as Shadow Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism (Gray had been Enterprise Minister before the voters of Edinburgh Pentlands remembered that they were Tories, and voted for David McLetchie), and Des McNulty will be Shadow Minister for Transport, Infrastructure & Climate Change.

Hugh Henry stays at Education, with Ken McIntosh coming in as Shadow Schools Minister. Pauline McNeill comes in as Shadow Childrens' Minister.

Margaret Curran takes over the Justice brief, in a straight swap with Cathy Jamieson. Paul Martin will be Shadow Community Safety Minister.

Rhona Brankin moves to Rural Affairs and the Environment (she had Deputised for Ross Finnie under Henry McLeish, and under McConnell between June 2005 and January 2007), and her Number 2 will be Sarah Boyack, who retains her Deputy Environment post.

Eagle-eyed readers will notice I haven't mentioned Tom McCabe. previously the Finance Minister. I've heard McConnell is putting him forward for a place on the Corporate Body.

Meanwhile, the Tories have announced their team:

Annabel Goldie leads, with her predecessor now Shadow Parliament Minister. Ted Brocklebank is Shadow Europe Minister. On her return to Holyrood, Mary Scanlon is appointed Shadow Health Secretary, with newcomer Jackson Carlaw Shadow Public Health Minister and Jamie McGrigor keeping his Sport brief but having Communities added to it. Derek Brownlee is Shadow Finance Secretary, newcomer Gavin Brown shadows Jim Mather at Enterprise, and Alex Johnstone is Shadow Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Minister. Murdo Fraser is Shadow Education Secretary, with Liz Smith working as his Number 2. John Scott is Shadow Rural Affairs Minister, and Nanette Milne finds herself at Environment. Bill Aitken is the Shadow Justice Secretary, and newcomer John Lamont goes to Community Safety. Interestingly enough, Margaret Mitchell's profile tagline hasn't been updated and she is still 'Justice Spokesman', which seems odd. I suspect she's heading for the Corporate Body.

No word on LibDem Spokespeople yet.