Jackie Baillie to lead Labour attack on the SNP

FORMER social justice minister Jackie Baillie is to spearhead the opposition attack on the SNP Government in the forthcoming Holyrood election campaign.

Jackie Baillie MSP, Scottish Labour. Picture: Julie Bull

The Dumbarton MSP will be handed a key role in new Labour leader Kezia Dugdale’s revamped front bench, which is being unveiled today.

Ms Baillie, who served under ex-first minister Donald Dewar, will become the party’s public services and wealth creation spokesperson and be tasked with holding the SNP to account on areas like the NHS.

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Ms Dugdale said: “The role of my frontbench team will be to communicate Labour values.

“Too often people tell us they don’t know what Labour stands for. Under my leadership there will be no doubt about what we stand for and who we stand with.”

The new Labour front bench will not be a traditional “shadow” cabinet of all the government cabinet secretaries. As well as Ms Dugdale and deputy leader Alex Rowley, there will be ten other spokespeople covering equality, opportunity, justice, public services and wealth creation. There will be a spokesperson on community, environmental justice, democracy, reform, along with a business manager and chief whip.