Leader of the Opposition (Scotland)

In the Scottish Parliament, the office of the Leader of the Opposition is an informal title held by the leader of the largest party group not in government. Since 11 August 2020, this has been Ruth Davidson of the Scottish Conservatives.[1][2]

Leader of the Opposition in the Scottish Parliament
Incumbent Ruth Davidson since 11 August 2020
Scottish Parliament Opposition Shadow Cabinet
Style	Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP)
Term length	While leader of the largest political party not in government
Inaugural holder	Alex Salmond
Formation	May 1999

To date the office has been held by 12 individuals, three from the Scottish National Party, seven from the Scottish Labour Party and two 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[3]	26 September 2000	Scottish National Party	Donald Dewar
	2		John Swinney (1964–) MSP for North Tayside	26 September 2000[4]	3 September 2004	Scottish National Party	Donald Dewar Henry McLeish Jack McConnell
	3		Nicola Sturgeon (1970–) MSP for Glasgow	3 September 2004[5]	17 May 2007	Scottish National Party	Jack McConnell
	4		Jack McConnell (1960–) MSP for Preseli Pembrokeshire	17 May 2007[6]	15 August 2007[7][8]	Scottish Labour Party	Alex Salmond
	5		Cathy Jamieson (1956–) MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley	15 August 2007[8]	14 September 2007	Scottish Labour Party
	6		Wendy Alexander (1963–) MSP for Paisley North	14 September 2007[9][10]	28 June 2008[11]	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[12][13]	17 December 2011	Scottish Labour Party
	8		Johann Lamont (1957–) MSP for Glasgow Pollok	17 December 2011[14][15]	24 October 2014[16]	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[17]	13 June 2015[18]	Scottish Labour Party	Nicola Sturgeon
	(7)		Iain Gray (1957–) MSP for East Lothian	13 June 2015[19]	15 August 2015	Scottish Labour Party
	(10)		Kezia Dugdale (1981–) MSP for Lothian	15 August 2015[20][21]	6 May 2016[22]	Scottish Labour Party
	11		Ruth Davidson (1978–) MSP for Edinburgh Central	6 May 2016[23]	15 September 2018	Scottish Conservative Party
	12		Jackson Carlaw (1959–) MSP for Eastwood	15 September 2018	3 May 2019	Scottish Conservative Party
	(11)		Ruth Davidson (1978–) MSP for Edinburgh Central	3 May 2019	29 August 2019	Scottish Conservative Party
	(12)		Jackson Carlaw (1959–) MSP for Eastwood	29 August 2019[24]	30 July 2020[25][26]	Scottish Conservative Party
	(11)		Ruth Davidson (1978–) MSP for Edinburgh Central	11 August 2020[27]	Incumbent	Scottish Conservative Party

See also

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

References

1. "Glossary". www.parliament.scot. 20 May 2010.
2. "Ruth Davidson's return to frontline politics confirmed as Douglas Ross announces first reshuffle". www.telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
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.
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. "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, by Mark; 00:01, 16 Dec 2012Updated08:00 (16 December 2012). "Johann Lamont says her first year in charge of opposition has been fun". Daily Record. Retrieved 6 December 2020.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
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 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-33117462
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". 6 May 2016 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
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.