Nicola Sturgeon glided through the Holyrood election but the last few months have been the most bruising of her political career.
Leading the country’s response to Covid and dealing with an embittered Alex Salmond led to her admitting to having “dark days”.
Yesterday’s Cabinet reshuffle, forged against this painful backdrop, shows the premium she places on loyalty, trust and experience.
The retirement of senior figures like Jeane Freeman and Michael Russell, as well as the departure of veterans such as Fiona Hyslop and Fergus Ewing, created the space for major surgery.
The reality is her 10-strong Cabinet reveals a First Minister who wants to be at the helm of a tight ship.
Her pal Shona Robison, who quit as health secretary in 2018 after struggling in the job, is back in the Cabinet as social justice chief.
Keith Brown, Sturgeon’s No2 in the party, has made a comeback as Justice Secretary after leaving the Government three years ago.
Angus Robertson, who is close to Sturgeon’s inner circle, has been parachuted into the Cabinet after being an MSP for a matter of days.
And Shirley-Anne Somerville, a Sturgeon ally who used to work in SNP headquarters, has moved from social security to education.
The schools portfolio should be a rewarding post but it has dogged the SNP in Government.
Hyslop, Russell, Angela Constance and John Swinney all tried, and failed, in this role and it will be a huge challenge for Somerville. The other notable aspect of the reshuffle is on succession planning.
At some point Sturgeon will become Scotland’s longest-serving First Minister and speculation about her future intentions
will mount.
With the UK Government intent on blocking a second referendum, it is hard to imagine Sturgeon seeking another term in office in 2026.
Sturgeon herself has said that potential successors include relatively young MSPs Humza Yousaf and Kate Forbes.
She has moved Yousaf from justice to health, which in the age of Covid will put his abilities under unprecedented scrutiny.
Forbes’s position has also been enhanced, with economy added to her finance brief.
Robertson’s swift promotion is an indication Sturgeon believes he could also be a contender.
The First Minister has made post-Covid recovery the key theme of her reshuffle and her ministers will be expected to deliver.
There is also a strong sense she is testing colleagues who one day will be competing to replace her.
