With the Scottish people still united in their grief for the departure of Jim Wallace from his post of Deputy First Minister, the remorseless and ruthless wheels of Scottish politics grind on.

Jim Wallace was widely acknowledged as one of the least charismatic politicians of his generation. His lack of ability was widely admired by a Scottish population increasingly desperate for something to laugh about.

In his place steps the youthful Nicol Stephen. The fresh faced Mr Stephen is a solicitor by trade and has that rare commodity in the Parly, commercial experience. He was once a Director of a company called Glassbox Ltd. The company is no longer trading. That may point to relevant experience that he can bring to an institution that does not appear to be doing very well either.

One of his first ruthless acts as a dynamic rapier thrusting ex-lawyer and commercial dynamo of defunct companies was to remorselessly reshuffle his front bench team.

The new Scottish Executive looks like this: