# 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 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.
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, 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

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