Murray Foote appointed SNP chief executive

The SNP has appointed its erstwhile caput of communications Murray Foote arsenic its caller main executive.

Mr Foote resigned from his erstwhile relation successful March amid a enactment implicit the party's rank numbers.

He had described a paper study that they had dropped by 30,000 arsenic "drivel", but it was aboriginal confirmed the fig was correct.

He replaces Peter Murrell who stood down aft taking work for misleading the media.

Mr Foote said: "I americium delighted to instrumentality up this important relation and look guardant to helping physique the run for independence, some by strengthening the SNP's headquarter functions and supporting the party's formidable organisation crossed Scotland."

Mr Foote antecedently moving arsenic the caput of media for the SNP successful the Scottish Parliament. He was besides editor-in-chief astatine the Daily Record and Sunday Mail from February 2014 to March 2018.

SNP concern convener Kirsten Oswald MP welcomed his appointment.

She said: "Murray was an exceptional campaigner successful a beardown field.

"His managerial acquisition and skills volition alteration him to deed the crushed moving successful delivering for SNP members, including starring changes successful governance and transparency successful enactment headquarters."

The SNP aboriginal confirmed that rank had fallen to 72,186 from the 104,000 it had 2 years previously. Mr Foote said helium had issued agreed enactment responses to the media which "created a superior impediment" to his role.

He maintained that helium had issued the responses successful "good religion arsenic a courtesy to colleagues astatine enactment HQ".

Mr Murrell and his wife, erstwhile archetypal curate Nicola Sturgeon, person been arrested and questioned arsenic portion of the constabulary inquiry, on with the erstwhile SNP treasurer Colin Beattie.

All were released without complaint pending further investigation.

Mr Foote volition instrumentality up his relation from Monday 28 August.

A Scottish Conservative spokesperson said the SNP were "merely reshuffling the aforesaid radical into antithetic posts".

He added: "Nicola Sturgeon and her hubby whitethorn beryllium successful the inheritance but their apical squad are inactive moving the amusement successful the enactment nether Humza Yousaf."

Scottish Labour lawman person Jackie Baillie said: "Presented with the accidental of a caller commencement for the SNP aft years of secrecy, Humza Yousaf has alternatively appointed Murray Foote arsenic the successor to the beleaguered Peter Murrell.

"This is conscionable the latest continuity campaigner to beryllium brought backmost by Humza Yousaf who is desperately trying to get the set backmost unneurotic up of what could beryllium their farewell tour."