The former boss of Stirling Council has been appointed as the SNP’s interim chief executive after the resignation of Murray Foote.
Carol Beattie was appointed interim chief executive by the party’s national executive committee (NEC) on Saturday.
Mr Foote announced plans to step down on Friday after just over a year in the job, saying he would be unable to “make the necessary personal commitment” to lead the SNP through the ongoing “process of internal reorganisation and renewal” ahead of the 2026 Scottish Parliament elections.
The former Daily Record editor – who served as the party’s head of communications before resigning in a row over membership figures – is expected to continue working with the SNP to help the transition to its next permanent chief executive.
Ms Beattie, who described her appointment as a “huge honour”, was Stirling Council chief executive from 2019 until her resignation in May this year.
She was later the party’s candidate in the Falkirk South council by-election, where she won the most first preference votes of all candidates, but was beaten by Labour’s Claire Aitken in the seventh stage of voting.
She said: “I look forward to meeting the team at the earliest opportunity and working with colleagues whose efforts have delivered the success of the SNP to date.
“I intend to waste no time in getting on with the important job of strengthening the party’s headquarters functions and supporting the party as a formidable national organisation.”
The former council chief apologised and deleted social media posts which criticised the monarchy after it was announced she was a candidate for the SNP.
SNP depute leader Keith Brown welcomed Ms Beattie, saying: “She brings considerable experience to the role and her appointment will continue the work, under John Swinney’s leadership, to ensure a professional, modern, dynamic election-winning organisation.
“The SNP remains the dominant political force in Scotland – and Carol Beattie’s appointment will ensure we remain equipped for the tasks ahead.”
Ms Beattie will be tasked with stewarding a party which faced a crippling defeat in July’s general election, going from 48 seats won in 2019 to just nine MPs.
In his speech to the annual party conference – the first since becoming First Minister earlier this year – Mr Swinney told delegates he would seek to turn the SNP into “the most professional, modern, dynamic election-winning organisation”.
Party sources at the time claimed this included a revamp of internal processes, such as canvassing software.
Scottish Tory chairman Craig Hoy said the appointment of Ms Beattie “highlights the level of chaos unfolding withing the scandal-ridden SNP”.
“Despite saying he would stay on until a permanent replacement was found, Murray Foote obviously couldn’t leave fast enough from the turmoil of the SNP,” he added.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here