HANNAH Mary Goodlad has stressed she is “not the finance minister for Shetland” after being appointed to a new role by John Swinney this week.
Goodlad was called in to Bute House by the first minister on Wednesday to take on the role of minister for public finance, completing a whirlwind fortnight for the newly elected SNP MSP.
But already her new position has led to calls for Shetland to get a greater share of Scottish Government cash, with councillor John Fraser saying on Thursday that Shetland Islands Council should appeal for more funding.
Referencing Goodlad’s campaign slogan, Fraser said this was a chance to “see what a ‘seat at the table’ actually means”.
Speaking to Shetland News this afternoon (Friday), Goodlad was keen to stress that there would be a distinction between her MSP and ministerial positions.
“It’s really important for the roles to be clearly understood,” she said.
“My MSP role is what I’ve been elected to do for Shetland, and making sure government is hearing the asks and requests from Shetland.
“This finance role is something I have been asked to do by John Swinney. The ministerial role is for Scotland.
“I’m not the finance minister for Shetland. It’s important to be transparent and honest about that.”
While Shetland Islands Council is looking for more government funding to meet rising public service demand, Goodlad said that all local authorities across Scotland would negotiate their position at a national level.
She said it was up to her to make sure “Shetland’s needs and wants are taken in to the decision making”.
“I’ve always said that the best way for Shetland to have a voice is by having a seat at the table that comes with being in government.
“Now there’s an opportunity to take Shetland’s voice and perspective in to the heart of the government as well.
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Goodlad’s new role will focus on both finance and public sector reform, and will see her reporting to deputy first minister and finance secretary Jenny Gilruth, as well as public service reform secretary Ivan McKee.
She said they were “both very experienced”, and added she was “really looking forward to working together as a core team”.
This week’s appointment caps off what has been a marvellous May for Goodlad, following her historic election victory on 8 May and her swearing in at Holyrood as Shetland’s first ever SNP MSP.
She described herself as a “very pragmatic person” who tries to “take each day as it comes”.
Asked if she feels pride that Swinney had hand-picked her to take up a junior ministerial role so early in her political career, Goodlad responded “absolutely”.
But she also said it came with “huge responsibility, seriousness and humility as well”.
Swinney had selected her because of her business background with companies like Norwegian energy firm Equinor, she said.
“The collaboration between government, public sector and industry, I have seen that Norway gets that right,” Goodlad said.
Scottish Government minister for public finance Hannah Mary Goodlad
Photo: The Edinburgh Reporter
The phone call to come to Bute House in Edinburgh to speak to first minister Swinney came on Wednesday morning, she said, hours before her appointment.
“I always say expect the unexpected, that goes for the election and that goes for this, and I always said I would take whatever job John wanted me to do.
“I went, I had a conversation and I was delighted to take on this role.”
On the back of Goodlad’s appointment, former first minister Nicola Sturgeon wrote that she was “very excited” to see her given a ministerial position.
She also wrote that Goodlad could have a big part to play in the medium to long-term future of Scottish politics.
Goodlad said she was “very, very humbled and blown away” by what Sturgeon had written about her this week.
“To get that kind of endorsement, it leaves a big mark on me,” she said.
“But the thing I’m most humbled by is the fact that over 5,000 people decided to put their trust in me and vote for me.”
Goodlad said she was now getting to work on getting the right team alongside her “to make sure we deliver as much as we can”, before stressing it was about “delivering in the right way”.
She added that she wanted to prioritise communication as minister for public finance, and to make sure “people understand why certain decisions are taken”.
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