Former deputy first minister John Swinney was unopposed in the SNP leadership race following Humza Yousaf’s resignation last month. He is now on track to become Scotland’s seventh first minister as early as today with a potential reshuffle expected shortly afterwards.

For Shelter Scotland, a cabinet-level post dedicated to housing was essential in ensuring the needs of those suffering in the housing emergency were heard and represented at the highest levels of government.

Highlighting record levels of child homelessness, the housing and homelessness charity also called on the new First Minister to show leadership by declaring a national housing emergency and committing to urgent, radical, action to end it.

Shelter Scotland director, Alison Watson, said: “With Scotland facing a deepening housing emergency, the new First Minister takes office at a critical time.

“Almost 10,000 children have nowhere to call home, half the people in Scotland live in an area without a fully functioning homelessness service, and private tenants are facing runaway rents.

“It’s now more important than ever that those suffering at the sharpest end of the housing emergency have their voices heard in government; there must be someone in the cabinet dedicated to tackling the housing emergency.

“Tackling poverty is impossible without tackling homelessness, and there’s no way to tackle homelessness if we don’t have enough social homes.

“The new First Minister can show their commitment to building a better Scotland by declaring a national housing emergency and committing to the kind of urgent, radical, action needed to bring it to an end.”