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| Politics of Scotland |
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The Minister for Independence is a Junior ministerial post in the Scottish Government. As a result, the Minister does not attend [1] the Scottish Cabinet. The post was created in March 2023 after the appointment of Humza Yousaf as First Minister of Scotland.
The specific responsibilities of the minister are: [2]
Minister for Independence | ||||||
| Name | Portrait | Entered Office | Left Office | Party | First Minister | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jamie Hepburn |  | 29 March 2023 | Scottish National Party | Humza Yousaf | ||
The decision to create a dedicated ministerial role for independence has been portrayed as a partisan move by the Scottish National Party Critics, including Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross and Anas Sarwar Labour leader, have argued that creating a minister for independence represents a misallocation of resources and priorities when Scotland faces numerous challenges, such as social security issues and economic recovery post-pandemic. Despite these criticisms, Yousaf has defended his decision, citing it as a fulfilment of the manifesto. [3] [4]
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