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 | |
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 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]
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 | Alex Salmond Nicola Sturgeon | ||
10 | Kezia Dugdale (1981–) MSP for Lothian |
13 December 2014[18] |
13 June 2015[19] |
Scottish Labour | Nicola Sturgeon | ||
(7) | Iain Gray (1957–) MSP for East Lothian |
13 June 2015[20] |
15 August 2015 |
Scottish Labour | |||
(10) | Kezia Dugdale (1981–) MSP for Lothian |
15 August 2015[21][22] |
6 May 2016[23] |
Scottish Labour | |||
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 | Humza Yousaf |
See also
- First Minister of Scotland
- Deputy First Minister of Scotland
- Opposition Parties of the Scottish Parliament
- Scottish Parliament
- Scottish Government
References
- ^ "The Scottish Parliament: Mr John Swinney MSP". 2 November 2002. Archived from the original on 2 November 2002. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
- ^ "Glossary". www.parliament.scot. 20 May 2010.
- ^ "Ruth Davidson's return to frontline politics confirmed as Douglas Ross announces first reshuffle". www.telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
- ^ "Alex Salmond". politics.co.uk. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
- ^ 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) - ^ "Salmond to lead SNP again". the Guardian. 3 September 2004. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
- ^ "Former minister returns to join Scottish shadow cabinet". the Guardian. 18 May 2007. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
- ^ "McConnell quits as Scottish Labour leader". the Guardian. 15 August 2007. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
- ^ a b "McConnell quits Labour leadership". 15 August 2007. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
- ^ "Alexander leads Scottish Labour". 14 September 2007. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
- ^ "'Jobs for the girls' on Wendy's front bench". Glasgow Times. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
- ^ "Wendy Alexander: Labour's short-lived Scottish leader". the Guardian. 28 June 2008. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
- ^ "Iain Gray is voted in as leader of the Scottish Labour party". the Guardian. 13 September 2008. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
- ^ "Scottish Labour leader struggles to be recognised as poll puts SNP ahead". the Guardian. 17 April 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
- ^ https://www. theguardian.com/uk/2011/dec/17/johann-lamont-scottish-labour-leader
- ^ Aitken, Mark (16 December 2012). "Johann Lamont says her first year in charge of opposition has been fun". Daily Record. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
- ^ "Johann Lamont resigns as leader of Scottish Labour party". the Guardian. 24 October 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
- ^ "MP Jim Murphy named Scottish Labour leader". BBC News. 13 December 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
- ^ "Scottish Labour agree to swathe of party reforms – and new leader will be announced on August 15th". LabourList. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
- ^ Scottish Labour agrees reform plan http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-33117462
- ^ "Kezia Dugdale elected Scottish Labour leader". 15 August 2015 – via www.theguardian.com.
- ^ "Kezia Dugdale – Latest news updates, pictures, video, reaction – Daily Record". www.dailyrecord.co.uk. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
- ^ "Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale 'heartbroken' by result". BBC News. 6 May 2016.
- ^ "Nicola Sturgeon promises to work with opposition parties after SNP loses majority". The Independent. 7 May 2016. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
- ^ "Jackson Carlaw MSP Appointed Interim Leader of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party". Highland. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
- ^ "Scottish Tory leader resigns after just five months". The Independent. 30 July 2020.
- ^ "Jackson Carlaw resigns as Scottish Conservative leader". STV News. 30 July 2020. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
- ^ "Scottish Conservatives appoint Ruth Davidson as Holyrood leader". the Guardian. 11 August 2020. Retrieved 6 December 2020.