Murray Foote’s departure is yet another blow to the SNP

The SNP just can’t catch a break. The party is still reeling from a catastrophic general election result, a backlash over its decision to mimic Rachel Reeves’ cuts to winter fuel payments, and the ongoing police investigation into its finances. Now chief executive Murray Foote has cleared his desk just 14 months after taking up the position. In a statement, Foote, the former editor of the Daily Record tabloid, said he was stepping down to let someone else oversee party reorganisation and other preparations for the 2026 Holyrood elections.

The Nationalists retained only nine seats on 4 July, a plummet from the 48 secured at the previous election, and are divided over the failure to deliver independence and support for gender identity ideology. Party elder John Swinney stepped into the leader’s shoes in May following the resignation of Humza Yousaf, who unilaterally broke off the devolved government’s coalition with the Scottish Greens only to plunge his administration into a confidence crisis.