New Scottish cabinet 'a team of all the talents'

South of Scotland MSP Jim Hume has slammed Kenny MacAskill's time as Scottish Justice Secretary. Mr MacAskill has been replaced by Michael Matheson as part of Nicola Sturgeon's Cabinet reshuffle.

The former Justice Secretary was heavily involved in the Lockerbie bombing case and was also involved in amalgamating all Scottish police forces.

The minister who freed the Lockerbie bomber has been dropped from Scotland's cabinet. The new first minister Nicola Sturgeon today said Kenny MacAskill had "intimated" that he wanted to step down. David Mundell, the MP whose constituency covers the Lockerbie area, says he was no friend of the area.

Scotland's new First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has appointed Finance Secretary John Swinney as her deputy.

Mr Swinney is the first of Ms Sturgeon's new appointments since she took over as the head of the Scottish Government on Wednesday.

The First Minister announced the news on Twitter, writing: "Delighted to announce that John Swinney is the new Deputy First Minister."

Mr Swinney, who has served as Finance Secretary for the past seven years, had been widely tipped for the deputy post.

Scotland's new First Minister is expected to reshuffle her cabinet today.

The ministerial changes will come just a day after Nicola Sturgeon was sworn in as First Minister in Edinburgh. She'll set out the government's new programme next week.