Sii qor faqradan - Rifkind wuxuu markii ugu horeysay u tartamay baarlamaanka, si guul la'aan ah, 1970 gudaha doorashada Edinburgh Central. Wuxuu galay baarlamaanka doorashadii guud ee Febraayo 1974 isagoo matalaya Edinburgh Pentlands ee Xisbiga Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. Intii lagu guda jiray doorashadii hoggaanka ee 1975, wuxuu taageeray Edward Heath wareegga koowaad laakiin markii Heath uu ka laabtay Rifkind wuxuu u codeeyay Margaret Thatcher. Thatcher, markii ay noqotay hogaamiyaha, waxay u magacawday Rifkind afhayeenka hore ee mucaaradka ee arrimaha Scotland. Kadib wuxuu iska casilay jagadaas (oo uu wehliyey Xoghayaha Scottish Shadow, Alick Buchanan-Smith) si uu uga soo horjeesto go'aanka Golaha Shacabka ee Shadow ee codka ka dhanka ah Hindise Sharciyeedka Xukuumadda ee Golaha Scottish-ka. Rifkind wuxuu ku dooday in, waqtigaas, Xisbiga Conservative uu taageeray mabda'a Golaha Scottish-ka, waxaa la doorbidi lahaa in la codeeyo Akhrinta Labaad ee Sharciga ama in laga fogaado, oo la isku dayo in la hagaajiyo Sharciga. Aftidii ka danbeysay ee lagu doortay Golaha Scottish-ka
, Rifkind ayaa u codeeyay, laakiin wuxuu ka laabtay taageeradiisa markii natiijada aftida ay muujisay in Scotland ay ku dhowaad si siman u kala qaybsan tahay soo jeedinta.