Leader of the Opposition (Scotland)

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

Leader of the Opposition in the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Gaelic: Ceannard an Luchd-dùbhlain ann am Pàrlamaid na h-Alba
Leader of the Opposition
Incumbent
Douglas Ross
since 6 May 2021
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

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 technically on the same footing as 'opposition parties'.

Since May 2021, this has been Douglas Ross of the Scottish Conservatives, who succeeded Ruth Davidson.[2][3]

To date the office has been held by 13 individuals, three from the Scottish National Party, seven from the Scottish Labour Party and three from the Scottish Conservative Party.

List of leaders of the opposition in the Scottish Parliament
No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Constituency/Title		 Term of office Political party First Minister
1 Alex Salmond
(1954–)
MSP for Banff and Buchan		 12 May
1999[4]		 26 September
2000		 Scottish National Party Donald Dewar
2 John Swinney
(1964–)
MSP for North Tayside		 26 September
2000[5]		 3 September
2004		 Scottish National Party Donald Dewar
Henry McLeish
Jack McConnell
3 Nicola Sturgeon
(1970–)
MSP for Glasgow		 3 September
2004[6]		 17 May
2007		 Scottish National Party Jack McConnell
4 Jack McConnell
(1960–)
MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw		 17 May
2007[7]		 15 August
2007[8][9]		 Scottish Labour Party Alex Salmond
5 Cathy Jamieson
(1956–)
MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley		 15 August
2007[9]		 14 September
2007		 Scottish Labour Party
6 Wendy Alexander
(1963–)
MSP for Paisley North		 14 September
2007[10][11]		 28 June
2008[12]		 Scottish Labour Party
(5) Cathy Jamieson
(1956–)
MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley		 28 June
2008		 13 September
2008		 Scottish Labour Party
7 Iain Gray
(1957–)
MSP for East Lothian		 13 September
2008[13][14]		 17 December
2011		 Scottish Labour Party
8 Johann Lamont
(1957–)
MSP for Glasgow Pollok		 17 December
2011[15][16]		 24 October
2014[17]		 Scottish Labour Party
9 Jackie Baillie
(1964–)
MSP for Dumbarton		 24 October
2014		 13 December
2014		 Scottish Labour Party Alex Salmond
Nicola Sturgeon
10 Kezia Dugdale
(1981–)
MSP for Lothian		 13 December
2014[18]		 13 June
2015[19]		 Scottish Labour Party Nicola Sturgeon
(7) Iain Gray
(1957–)
MSP for East Lothian		 13 June
2015[20]		 15 August
2015		 Scottish Labour Party
(10) Kezia Dugdale
(1981–)
MSP for Lothian		 15 August
2015[21][22]		 6 May
2016[23]		 Scottish Labour Party
11 Ruth Davidson
(1978–)
MSP for Edinburgh Central		 6 May
2016[24]		 15 September
2018		 Scottish Conservatives
12 Jackson Carlaw
(1959–)
MSP for Eastwood		 15 September
2018		 3 May
2019		 Scottish Conservatives
(11) Ruth Davidson
(1978–)
MSP for Edinburgh Central		 3 May
2019		 29 August
2019		 Scottish Conservatives
(12) Jackson Carlaw
(1959–)
MSP for Eastwood		 29 August
2019[25]		 30 July
2020[26][27]		 Scottish Conservatives
(11) Ruth Davidson
(1978–)
MSP for Edinburgh Central		 11 August
2020[28]		 5 May
2021		 Scottish Conservatives
13 Douglas Ross
(1983–)
MP for Moray
MSP for Highlands and Islands		 6 May
2021		 Incumbent Scottish Conservatives Nicola Sturgeon
Humza Yousaf

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. "Glossary". www.parliament.scot. 20 May 2010.
  3. "Ruth Davidson's return to frontline politics confirmed as Douglas Ross announces first reshuffle". www.telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  4. "Alex Salmond". politics.co.uk. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  5. StreetBlairgowrie, 17-19 Leslie; Ph10 6ah (5 September 2018). "John Swinney". Scottish National Party. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  6. "Salmond to lead SNP again". the Guardian. 3 September 2004. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  7. "Former minister returns to join Scottish shadow cabinet". the Guardian. 18 May 2007. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  8. "McConnell quits as Scottish Labour leader". the Guardian. 15 August 2007. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  9. "McConnell quits Labour leadership". 15 August 2007. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  10. "Alexander leads Scottish Labour". 14 September 2007. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  11. "'Jobs for the girls' on Wendy's front bench". Glasgow Times. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  12. "Wendy Alexander: Labour's short-lived Scottish leader". the Guardian. 28 June 2008. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  13. "Iain Gray is voted in as leader of the Scottish Labour party". the Guardian. 13 September 2008. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  14. "Scottish Labour leader struggles to be recognised as poll puts SNP ahead". the Guardian. 17 April 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  15. https://www. theguardian.com/uk/2011/dec/17/johann-lamont-scottish-labour-leader
  16. Aitken, Mark (16 December 2012). "Johann Lamont says her first year in charge of opposition has been fun". Daily Record. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  17. "Johann Lamont resigns as leader of Scottish Labour party". the Guardian. 24 October 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  18. "MP Jim Murphy named Scottish Labour leader". BBC News. 13 December 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  19. "Scottish Labour agree to swathe of party reforms – and new leader will be announced on August 15th". LabourList. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  20. Scottish Labour agrees reform plan http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-33117462
  21. "Kezia Dugdale elected Scottish Labour leader". 15 August 2015 – via www.theguardian.com.
  22. "Kezia Dugdale – Latest news updates, pictures, video, reaction – Daily Record". www.dailyrecord.co.uk. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  23. "Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale 'heartbroken' by result". BBC News. 6 May 2016.
  24. "Nicola Sturgeon promises to work with opposition parties after SNP loses majority". The Independent. 7 May 2016. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  25. "Jackson Carlaw MSP Appointed Interim Leader of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party". Highland. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  26. "Scottish Tory leader resigns after just five months". The Independent. 30 July 2020.
  27. "Jackson Carlaw resigns as Scottish Conservative leader". STV News. 30 July 2020. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  28. "Scottish Conservatives appoint Ruth Davidson as Holyrood leader". the Guardian. 11 August 2020. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
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