Unlike the Westminster arrangement where there is an 'Official Opposition' to the government of the day, there is no such thing as an 'official' opposition to the Scottish Government. Instead, all parties that are not in government are merely 'opposition parties'. With the current Scottish Government being Scottish National Party (SNP), the four other main parties are all opposition parties and each will have a Shadow Cabinet composed of Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) with a responsibility to shadow a government minister or area of government.
Parties are allowed to choose how their spokespersons are referred to. Named party spokespeople are not all Members of the Scottish Parliament.
Conservative Shadow Cabinet
As announced on 19 May 2016
Leader: The Rt Hon. Ruth Davidson MSP
Deputy Leader and Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism & External Affairs: Jackson Carlaw MSP
Chief Whip & Business Manager: John Lamont MSP
Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Finance: Murdo Fraser MSP
Shadow Cabinet Secretary for the Economy, Jobs & Fair Work: Dean Lockhart MSP
Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health & Sport: Donald Cameron MSP
Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Education & Skills: Liz Smith MSP
Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Communities, Social Security, the Constitution & Equalities: Adam Tomkins MSP
Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Justice: Douglas Ross MSP
Shadow Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy & Connectivity: Peter Chapman MSP
Shadow Cabinet Secretary for the Environment, Climate Change & Land Reform: Maurice Golden MSP
Labour Shadow Cabinet
The Scottish Labour front-bench team was announced on 25 May 2016.
Leader & Finance Spokesperson: Kezia Dugdale MSP
Deputy Leader & Community, Social Security & Equalities Spokesperson: Alex Rowley MSP
Education, Skills & Science Spokesperson: Iain Gray MSP
Health Spokesperson: Anas Sarwar MSP
Culture, Sport, Tourism & External Affairs Spokesperson: Lewis Macdonald MSP
Environment, Climate Change & Land Reform Spokesperson: Claudia Beamish MSP
Rural Economy & Connectivity Spokesperson: Rhoda Grant MSP
Economy, Fair Work & Jobs Spokesperson: Jackie Baillie MSP
Justice Spokesperson: Claire Baker MSP
Parliamentary Business Manager: James Kelly MSP
Scottish Greens Shadow Cabinet
As announced on 23 May 2016
Co-Convener of the Scottish Green Party, Finance, Economy, Fair Work and Equalities Spokesperson: Patrick Harvie MSP
Co-Convener of the Scottish Green Party: Maggie Chapman
Justice, Tourism, Transport, & Rural & Island Communities Spokesperson: John Finnie MSP
International Development, External Affairs, Education, Skills, Culture & Media Spokesperson: Ross Greer MSP
Health, Sport, Social Security, Children & Young People Spokesperson: Alison Johnstone MSP
Communities, Land Reform and Local Government Spokesperson: Andy Wightman MSP
Climate, Energy, Environment, Food & Farming Spokesperson: Mark Ruskell MSP
Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet
As announced on 28 May 2016:
Leader & Finance Spokesperson: Willie Rennie MSP
Deputy Leader: The Rt. Hon. Alistair Carmichael MP
Education & Sports Spokesperson: Tavish Scott MSP
Justice & Energy Spokesperson: Liam McArthur MSP
Rural Affairs Spokesperson & Business Manager: Mike Rumbles MSP
Health Spokesperson: Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP
Economy Spokesperson: Cllr Carolyn Caddick
Culture Spokesperson: Cllr Eileen McCartin
Social Security Spokesperson: Cllr Karen Clark
Chairperson of 2017 Scottish Local Election Campaign: Katy Gordon
Children's Spokesperson & Party Convener: Sheila Thomson
Social Security Spokesperson & Party Treasurer: Caron Lindsay
Environment Spokesperson: Christine Jardine
