As plot twists go, it’s a doozy. Five months ago, Murray Foote resigned as the SNP’s communications director after misleading journalists over party membership numbers. The former editor of the Daily Record stormed off, throwing a grenade over his shoulder. He had only misled journalists because he himself had been misled. A day after Foote’s departure (political cliché level: bombshell), the SNP’s chief executive Peter Murrell took responsibility for the mess and fell on his sword. Now, in a remarkable turn of events, Foote is back in the game. On Monday, he takes up the position of SNP chief executive. He’s the new Peter Murrell.
The SNP spin goes that Foote was the standout candidate amid a very strong field. Perhaps there was a clamour among serious political operators to fill the post vacated by a man subsequently arrested as a suspect in a police investigation into allegations of fraud. We shall have to take the nationalists’ word. But what we can confirm is that Foote’s appointment is already controversial.
During the dying days of the 2014 independence referendum campaign, the Daily Record – under Foote’s editorship – carried a front page splash in which unionist party leaders promised greater powers for Holyrood. ‘The Vow’ front page was a great tabloid wheeze, orchestrated by Foote who — as is so often the case when newspapers pick a political side — recognised which campaign was on course to win. He was merely following the majority of his readers.
However the supposed power of ‘The Vow’ has grown over the past nine years. Former SNP leader Alex Salmond, among others, cite it as a reason for their defeat in the referendum. So it was hardly surprising when much of the reaction from SNP members online was of the ‘WTF?’ variety. To many SNP members Foote was complicit in their defeat in 2014. He is not to be trusted. If he is to win over those sceptics, he’ll have to convince them the idea ‘The Vow’ changed a thing is a load of tripe.
It has been pointed out the appointment of Foote as chief executive doesn’t exactly underline the SNP’s message that it’s entering a new era. Foote was a key figure in the last regime and — as the police investigation goes on and, perhaps, leads to charges for Peter Murrell, Nicola Sturgeon, or former Party Treasurer Colin Beattie MSP — there may come a point when Humza Yousaf wonders whether the new chief executive comes with too much baggage.
Meanwhile, Foote would be advised to keep a low profile. Recently, as a ‘civilian’, Foote described the police investigation into the SNP’s finances as ‘a grotesque circus’. He was confident there would be no charges. Any more of this kind of talk and Murray Foote, chief executive of the SNP, might find himself in trouble for trying to influence proceedings.
As a journalist, Foote had a well-deserved reputation for fairness and decency. There remains, among members of the political lobby at Holyrood, a great deal of goodwill towards him. But the pack also scents blood. The SNP is in turmoil of proportions unprecedented. Foote takes control at a point when nationalist fortunes have much further to fall. I’m sure I’m not the only one of his chums in Scotland’s tiny political pond enjoying the drama of his return to the game — while also wondering whether he’s lost his mind, completely.
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