Stephen Flynn made a name for himself with his two-pronged attacks on the Tories and Labour at Prime Minister’s Questions.
But the Dundee-born SNP Westminster chief faces a tougher task grabbing headlines each Wednesday.
His party is no longer the third biggest in the House of Commons, meaning he has lost his more regular slot to interrogate the prime minister.
Why does this matter?
From 2015 onwards, the SNP was comfortably the biggest group in Westminster after the Conservatives and Labour.
The nationalists gained a record 56 MPs nine years ago, in the same vote where the Lib Dems were reduced to a rump.
In two elections since then, the SNP maintained its slot as the third largest party.
This meant Mr Flynn had a top slot each Wednesday to grill the prime minister and promote SNP soundbites to a UK-wide audience.
Crucially, the SNP leader got not one but two questions – giving him the opportunity for a follow-up to further criticise his rivals.
Even though Mr Flynn was regularly squaring off against Rishi Sunak, he used his slot to attack Labour as well.
Who takes his old slot?
Following the election, the Lib Dems are now the second biggest opposition party in Westminster – a position they occupied prior to 2010.
Party leader Sir Ed Davey will now get the opportunity to quiz the prime minister every week in parliament.
Mr Flynn has to apply to the Speaker for a question and will be further down the running order when selected.
It’s expected he will be picked roughly every four or five weeks.
Is this due to the SNP’s bad election result?
Actually, no.
The SNP had a disastrous night on July 4, reduced to just nine MPs across Scotland.
But the nationalists would have been relegated to fourth-party status even if they had won every single seat north of the border.
That’s because the Lib Dems won 72 seats across the UK, a record success.
Is this a major concern for Stephen Flynn?
SNP insiders admit it’s frustrating the party no longer has its usual slot.
But they maintain Mr Flynn can remain an influential figure in Westminster.
Today, he used his first single-question appearance to hammer home concerns over Labour backing a two-child benefit cap. A vote the SNP had forced on Tuesday evening.
“There’s no doubt it’s disappointing we’re not getting two questions each week,” says Perth and Kinross-shire MP Pete Wishart.
But the deputy leader added: “It’s the SNP that has led the agenda around the two-child benefit cap. We’ll continue to be an effective force.”
James Mitchell, professor of public policy at Edinburgh University, reckons the change at Westminster could hurt Mr Flynn.
He said: “What he was best at is the thing he can’t do: his performances at PMQs. He’s going to become less noticeable.”
“He will find it a completely different world,” said Orkney and Shetland Lib Dem MP Alistair Carmichael.
“Stephen Flynn is having to learn the harsh realities of downsizing.”
Conversation