Leader of the Opposition (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
StyleMember of the Scottish Parliament (MSP)
Term lengthWhile leader of the largest political party in the Scottish Parliament that is not in government
Inaugural holderAlex Salmond
FormationMay 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

Portrait Leader of the Opposition Term of office Elections Shadow cabinet Constituency/Region Government
Start End
Alex Salmond 12 May
1999[3] 		26 September
2000 		Shadow Cabinet of Alex Salmond Banff and Buchan Dewar government
1 year, 4 months and 14 days
John Swinney 26 September
2000 		3 September
2004 		2003 Shadow Cabinet of John Swinney North Tayside
McLeish government
First McConnell government
4 years, 5 months and 18 days Second McConnell government
Nicola Sturgeon 3 September
2004[4] 		17 May
2007 		2007 Shadow Cabinet of Nicola Sturgeon Glasgow
2 years, 8 months and 14 days
Jack McConnell 17 May
2007 		15 August
2007[5] 		Motherwell and Wishaw First Salmond government
2 months and 29 days
Cathy Jamieson 15 August
2007[5] 		14 September
2007 		First Shadow Cabinet of Cathy Jamieson Carrick,
Cumnock and Doon Valley
30 days
Wendy Alexander 14 September
2007[6][7] 		28 June
2008[8] 		Shadow Cabinet of Wendy Alexander Paisley North
9 months and 14 days
Cathy Jamieson 28 June
2008 		13 September
2008 		Second Shadow Cabinet of Cathy Jamieson Carrick,
Cumnock and Doon Valley
2 months and 16 days
Iain Gray 13 September
2008[9][10] 		17 December
2011 		2011 First Shadow Cabinet of Iain Gray East Lothian
3 years, 3 months and 4 days Second Salmond government
Johann Lamont 17 December
2011[11][12] 		24 October
2014[13] 		Shadow Cabinet of Johann Lamont Glasgow Pollok
2 years, 10 months and 7 days
Jackie Baillie 24 October
2014 		13 December
2014 		Shadow Cabinet of Johann Lamont Dumbarton
1 month and 19 days First Sturgeon government
Kezia Dugdale 13 December
2014[14] 		13 June
2015[15] 		First Shadow Cabinet of Kezia Dugdale Lothian
6 months
Iain Gray 13 June
2015[16] 		15 August
2015 		Shadow Cabinet of Kezia Dugdale East Lothian
2 months and 2 days
Kezia Dugdale 15 August
2015[17][18] 		6 May
2016[19] 		2016 Second Shadow Cabinet of Kezia Dugdale Lothian
8 months and 21 days
Ruth Davidson 6 May
2016[20] 		15 September
2018 		First Shadow Cabinet of Ruth Davidson Edinburgh Central Second Sturgeon government
2 years, 4 months and 9 days
Jackson Carlaw 15 September
2018 		3 May
2019 		First Shadow Cabinet of Jackson Carlaw Eastwood
7 months and 18 days
Ruth Davidson 3 May
2019 		29 August
2019 		Second Shadow Cabinet of Ruth Davidson Edinburgh Central
3 months and 26 days
Jackson Carlaw 29 August
2019[21] 		30 July
2020[22][23] 		Second Shadow Cabinet of Jackson Carlaw Eastwood
11 months and 1 day
Ruth Davidson 11 August
2020[24] 		5 May
2021 		2021 Third Shadow Cabinet of Ruth Davidson Edinburgh Central
9 months and 5 days
Douglas Ross 6 May
2021 		27 September
2024 		Shadow Cabinet of Douglas Ross Highlands and Islands Third Sturgeon government
First Yousaf government
Second Yousaf government
3 years, 4 months and 22 days Swinney government
Russell Findlay 27 September
2024 		Incumbent Shadow Cabinet of Russell Findlay West Scotland
9 months and 9 days

Timeline

See also

References

  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. ^ "Salmond to lead SNP again". the Guardian. 3 September 2004. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  5. ^ a b "McConnell quits Labour leadership". 15 August 2007. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  6. ^ "Alexander leads Scottish Labour". 14 September 2007. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  7. ^ "'Jobs for the girls' on Wendy's front bench". Glasgow Times. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  8. ^ "Wendy Alexander: Labour's short-lived Scottish leader". the Guardian. 28 June 2008. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  9. ^ "Iain Gray is voted in as leader of the Scottish Labour party". the Guardian. 13 September 2008. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  10. ^ "Scottish Labour leader struggles to be recognised as poll puts SNP ahead". the Guardian. 17 April 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  11. ^ https://www. theguardian.com/uk/2011/dec/17/johann-lamont-scottish-labour-leader
  12. ^ Aitken, Mark (16 December 2012). "Johann Lamont says her first year in charge of opposition has been fun". Daily Record. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  13. ^ "Johann Lamont resigns as leader of Scottish Labour party". the Guardian. 24 October 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  14. ^ "MP Jim Murphy named Scottish Labour leader". BBC News. 13 December 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  15. ^ "Scottish Labour agree to swathe of party reforms – and new leader will be announced on August 15th". LabourList. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  16. ^ "Scottish Labour agrees reform plan". BBC News. 12 June 2015. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  17. ^ "Kezia Dugdale elected Scottish Labour leader". 15 August 2015 – via www.theguardian.com.
  18. ^ "Kezia Dugdale – Latest news updates, pictures, video, reaction – Daily Record". www.dailyrecord.co.uk. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  19. ^ "Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale 'heartbroken' by result". BBC News. 6 May 2016.
  20. ^ "Nicola Sturgeon promises to work with opposition parties after SNP loses majority". The Independent. 7 May 2016. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  21. ^ "Jackson Carlaw MSP Appointed Interim Leader of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party". Highland. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  22. ^ "Scottish Tory leader resigns after just five months". The Independent. 30 July 2020.
  23. ^ "Jackson Carlaw resigns as Scottish Conservative leader". STV News. 30 July 2020. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  24. ^ "Scottish Conservatives appoint Ruth Davidson as Holyrood leader". the Guardian. 11 August 2020. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
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