Mezue ahịrịokwu na-esonụ: Rifkind mbụ guzo maka nzuko omeiwu, enweghị ihe ịga nke ọma, na 1970 na Edinburgh Central nhoputa ndi ochichi. Ọ banyere na nzuko omeiwu na ntuli aka nke February 1974 na-anọchite anya Edinburgh Pentlands maka Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. N'oge ntuli aka onye ndu na 1975, ọ kwadoro Edward Heath na agba nke mbụ mana mgbe Heath kwụsịrị Rifkind tụrụ vootu maka Margaret Thatcher. Thatcher, mgbe ọ ghọrọ onye ndu, họpụtara Rifkind onye na-ekwuchitere ndị mmegide na-ekwuchitere ndị Scotland. O mechara hapụ ọkwa ahụ (ya na Onye odeakwụkwọ Scottish Shadow, Alick Buchanan-Smith) na-eme ngagharị iwe na mkpebi nke Cabinet Shadow iji votu megide Iwu Gọọmentị maka Mgbakọ Scottish. Rifkind rụrụ ụka na, dịka, n'oge ahụ, ndị Conservative Party kwadoro ụkpụrụ nke Nzukọ Ndị Scotland, ọ gaara aka mma ma ọ bụ ịtụ vootu maka Ọgụgụ nke Abụọ nke Bill ma ọ bụ ịhapụ, ma gbalịa imeziwanye Bill ahụ. N'ime afọ ndị sochirinụ
referendum on a Scottish Assembly, Rifkind tụrụ vootu, mana wepụrụ nkwado ya mgbe nsonaazụ nke referendum gosipụtara Scotland fọrọ nke nta ka ọ bụrụ nkewa na atụmatụ ahụ.