New First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced her government team today, after officially taking over from Alex Salmond yesterday.

MSP Michael Russell was appointed Education Secretary under Alex Salmond five-years-ago, and will now be replaced by MSP Angela Constance.

Russell commented it was a ‘privilege’ to serve as a Scottish Government Minister.

He added: “My five years as Education Secretary was a learning experience in every way but I recently decided that whilst I fully intend to stand again for Argyll and Bute at the Scottish Parliament elections in eighteen months time, I would not wish to go into Government for a third term given the demands of serving such a huge and varied constituency as well as travelling the length and breadth of Scotland (and sometimes overseas) as a Minister.

“Nicola’s election as Scotland’s First Female First Minister was bound to produce an early reshuffle so I took this ideal opportunity to step down at a time when a new Education Secretary could have the chance to establish herself in the run up to 2016 as well as bring a fresh approach and fresh ideas to what is one of the most wide ranging and demanding of roles. Angela Constance will be great at the job and of course worked within the portfolio for several years. So it is time for the torch to pass to her.

“My greatest honour is to have been chosen to speak up for the people of Argyll and Bute in the National Parliament of Scotland. Serving them - all of them - was and is my first priority. It is what I have been doing and will go on doing. Indeed I am now going to work even harder for everyone here in order to live up to the extraordinary trust this area has placed in me and for which I am always grateful.”