The SNP shakes up its Westminster frontbench

It’s not just Keir Starmer announcing a reshuffle today — the SNP’s Westminster leader Stephen Flynn has taken it upon himself to rearrange his frontbench. Flynn says that the promotion of women to top positions and improving the representation of other Scottish communities informed his decisions. It’s clear, however, that the Westminster leader’s main consideration is the cost of living crisis.

Drew Hendry, MP for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey, has taken up the role of economy spokesperson, moving across from the foreign affairs brief. Hendry replaces Stewart Hosie MP, one of the eight SNP Westminster politicians to announce they will not stand at the next general election. Part of the 2015 intake, Hendry has held roles in trade, business and transport.

It’s an important move for the Inverness MP, given Flynn’s plans to shift his party’s campaign priorities from independence to focus on ‘strong and sustained economic growth’. This comes after internal analysis informed the Westminster leader that his party needed to change tack on their current ‘indy first’ approach.