Leader of the Opposition (Scotland)

Leader of the largest opposition party in Scotland

Leader of the Opposition in the Scottish Parliament

Scottish Gaelic: Ceannard an Luchd-dùbhlain ann am Pàrlamaid na h-Alba

Incumbent
Russell Findlay MSP

since 27 September 2024

Scottish Parliament
Opposition Shadow Cabinet
Style| Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP)
Term length| While leader of the largest political party in the Scottish Parliament that is not in government
Inaugural holder| Alex Salmond
Formation| May 1999

In the Scottish Parliament, the Leader of the Opposition (more formally, the Leader of the Opposition in the Scottish Parliament) is an unofficial title often used to describe the leader of the largest political party in the Scottish Parliament that is not in government. This leader has also been referred to as the Shadow First Minister.[1]

Unlike in the Parliament at Westminster where there is an Official Opposition to the government of the day, all parties in the Scottish Parliament that are not in government are all legally on the same footing as 'opposition parties'.

On 27 September 2024, following a leadership election within the  Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party,[2] Russell Findlay succeeded Douglas Ross, who had served in this role from 2021 to 2024, as Leader of the Opposition in Holyrood.

To date there have been 14 individuals who have led the largest opposition party, three from the Scottish National Party, seven from the Scottish Labour Party and four from the Scottish Conservative Party.

## List of leaders of the opposition in the Scottish Parliament

[edit]

Portrait  | Name
(birth–death)
Constituency/title | Term of office  | Political party  | First Minister

|
|
|
|

|  | Alex Salmond
(1954–2024)
MSP for Banff and Buchan | 12 May
1999[3] | 26 September
2000  | Scottish National Party |  | Donald Dewar
(1999–2000)
|  | John Swinney
(born 1964)
MSP for North Tayside | 26 September
2000[4] | 3 September
2004  | Scottish National Party |
| Henry McLeish
(2000–2001)
| Jack McConnell
(2001–2007)
|  | Nicola Sturgeon
(born 1970)
MSP for Glasgow | 3 September
2004[5] | 17 May
2007  | Scottish National Party |
|  | Jack McConnell
(born 1960)
MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw | 17 May
2007[6] | 15 August
2007[7][8] | Scottish Labour Party |  | Alex Salmond
(2007–2014)
|  | Cathy Jamieson
(born 1956)
MSP for Carrick,
Cumnock and Doon Valley | 15 August
2007[8] | 14 September
2007  | Scottish Labour Party |
|  | Wendy Alexander
(born 1963)
MSP for Paisley North | 14 September
2007[9][10] | 28 June
2008[11] | Scottish Labour Party |
|  | Cathy Jamieson
(born 1956)
MSP for Carrick,
Cumnock and Doon Valley | 28 June
2008  | 13 September
2008  | Scottish Labour Party |
|  | Iain Gray
(born 1957)
MSP for East Lothian | 13 September
2008[12][13] | 17 December
2011  | Scottish Labour Party |
|  | Johann Lamont
(born 1957)
MSP for Glasgow Pollok | 17 December
2011[14][15] | 24 October
2014[16] | Scottish Labour Party |
|  | Jackie Baillie
(born 1964)
MSP for Dumbarton | 24 October
2014  | 13 December
2014  | Scottish Labour |
| Nicola Sturgeon
(2014–2023)
|  | Kezia Dugdale
(born 1981)
MSP for Lothian | 13 December
2014[17] | 13 June
2015[18] | Scottish Labour |
|  | Iain Gray
(born 1957)
MSP for East Lothian | 13 June
2015[19] | 15 August
2015  | Scottish Labour |
|  | Kezia Dugdale
(born 1981)
MSP for Lothian | 15 August
2015[20][21] | 6 May
2016[22] | Scottish Labour |
|  | Ruth Davidson
(born 1978)
MSP for Edinburgh Central | 6 May
2016[23] | 15 September
2018  | Scottish Conservatives |
|  | Jackson Carlaw
(born 1959)
MSP for Eastwood | 15 September
2018  | 3 May
2019  | Scottish Conservatives |
|  | Ruth Davidson
(born 1978)
MSP for Edinburgh Central | 3 May
2019  | 29 August
2019  | Scottish Conservatives |
|  | Jackson Carlaw
(born 1959)
MSP for Eastwood | 29 August
2019[24] | 30 July
2020[25][26] | Scottish Conservatives |
|  | Ruth Davidson
(born 1978)
MSP for Edinburgh Central | 11 August
2020[27] | 5 May
2021  | Scottish Conservatives |
|  | Douglas Ross
(born 1983)
MP for Moray
MSP for Highlands and Islands | 6 May
2021  | 27 September
2024  | Scottish Conservatives |
| Humza Yousaf
(2023–2024)
| John Swinney
(since 2024)
| Russell Findlay
(born 1972/1973)
MSP for West Scotland | 27 September
2024  | Incumbent | Scottish Conservatives |

## Timeline

[edit]

## See also

[edit]

* First Minister of Scotland
* Deputy First Minister of Scotland
* Opposition Parties of the Scottish Parliament
* Scottish Parliament
* Scottish Government

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "The Scottish Parliament: Mr John Swinney MSP". 2 November 2002. Archived from the original on 2 November 2002. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
2. ^ Craig Williams (29 September 2024). "New Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay promises to 'change' party". BBC Scotland News. Edinburgh. Retrieved 27 September 2024.
3. ^ "Alex Salmond". politics.co.uk. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
4. ^ StreetBlairgowrie, 17-19 Leslie; Ph10 6ah (5 September 2018). "John Swinney". Scottish National Party. Retrieved 6 December 2020.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
5. ^ "Salmond to lead SNP again". the Guardian. 3 September 2004. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
6. ^ "Former minister returns to join Scottish shadow cabinet". the Guardian. 18 May 2007. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
7. ^ "McConnell quits as Scottish Labour leader". the Guardian. 15 August 2007. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
8. ^ a b "McConnell quits Labour leadership". 15 August 2007. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
9. ^ "Alexander leads Scottish Labour". 14 September 2007. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
10. ^ "'Jobs for the girls' on Wendy's front bench". Glasgow Times. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
11. ^ "Wendy Alexander: Labour's short-lived Scottish leader". the Guardian. 28 June 2008. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
12. ^ "Iain Gray is voted in as leader of the Scottish Labour party". the Guardian. 13 September 2008. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
13. ^ "Scottish Labour leader struggles to be recognised as poll puts SNP ahead". the Guardian. 17 April 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
14. ^ https://www. theguardian.com/uk/2011/dec/17/johann-lamont-scottish-labour-leader
15. ^ Aitken, Mark (16 December 2012). "Johann Lamont says her first year in charge of opposition has been fun". Daily Record. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
16. ^ "Johann Lamont resigns as leader of Scottish Labour party". the Guardian. 24 October 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
17. ^ "MP Jim Murphy named Scottish Labour leader". BBC News. 13 December 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
18. ^ "Scottish Labour agree to swathe of party reforms – and new leader will be announced on August 15th". LabourList. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
19. ^ "Scottish Labour agrees reform plan". BBC News. 12 June 2015. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
20. ^ "Kezia Dugdale elected Scottish Labour leader". 15 August 2015 - via www.theguardian.com.
21. ^ "Kezia Dugdale – Latest news updates, pictures, video, reaction – Daily Record". www.dailyrecord.co.uk. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
22. ^ "Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale 'heartbroken' by result". BBC News. 6 May 2016.
23. ^ "Nicola Sturgeon promises to work with opposition parties after SNP loses majority". The Independent. 7 May 2016. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
24. ^ "Jackson Carlaw MSP Appointed Interim Leader of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party". Highland. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
25. ^ "Scottish Tory leader resigns after just five months". The Independent. 30 July 2020.
26. ^ "Jackson Carlaw resigns as Scottish Conservative leader". STV News. 30 July 2020. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
27. ^ "Scottish Conservatives appoint Ruth Davidson as Holyrood leader". the Guardian. 11 August 2020. Retrieved 6 December 2020.

* v
* t
* e

Scottish Parliament

Organisation|

* Presiding Officer
* Deputy Presiding Officer
* Leader of the Opposition
* Opposition Shadow Cabinets
* Committees
* Scottish Parliament Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee
* Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body
* Clerk of the Scottish Parliament
* Standards Commission for Scotland
* Ceremonial mace

Legislation|

* Act of the Scottish Parliament
* list
* law
* Scottish statutory instrument
* List of Scottish statutory instruments

Estate|

* Scottish Parliament Building

Members and constituencies|

* Members (60)
* list
* female
* Constituencies (40)
* Electoral regions (5)

Boundary reviews|

* First Periodic Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries
* Second Periodic Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries

Current groupings|

* Scottish National Party (62)
* Scottish Conservatives (31)
* Scottish Labour (22)
* Scottish Greens (7)
* Scottish Liberal Democrats (12)
* Alba Party (1)
* Independent (1)

Elections|

* Concurrent
* 1999
* 2003
* 2007
* 2011
* 2016
* 2021
* Next
* By-elections

See also|

* Powers
* Scottish Youth Parliament
* Boundaries Scotland

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template