Five months after he quit as the SNP’s media chief, Murray Foote has been appointed as the party’s new chief executive.
The former newspaper editor, 56, left his role as head of communications in March after reports about membership figures which the party denied turned out to be true.
His own departure led to the resignation of ex-SNP chief Peter Murrell, who he now replaces in the top job.
From his career in the newspaper industry to his shift toward backing independence, here are five interesting facts about Mr Foote.
1 – He is a proud Dundonian
The new SNP chief executive was born in Dundee Royal Infirmary and spent his childhood in the city, attending Downfield Primary School and Harris Academy.
Mr Foote – who later lived in Lochee – describes himself as a “proud Dundonian” despite having moved away a long time ago.
In 2018, he told The Herald that while the city had suffered a “crisis of confidence”, it appeared to be heading in the right direction.
Discussing the City of Discovery, he says “absence makes the heart grow fonder”.
2 – He’s a lifelong Dundee United fan
Mr Foote has followed Dundee United for around half a century, attending games with his dad as a youngster.
He was at Hampden when the Tangerines secured their first ever Scottish Cup in 1994, after years of heartbreak, thanks to Craig Brewster’s winner.
The Arabs diehard is pictured below celebrating the stunning 1-0 final triumph over Rangers.
He was in the Hampden crowd once again 16 years later when the Arabs picked up the trophy for a second time with a 3-0 victory over Ross County.
Due to the club’s mixed fortunes over the years, he previously described his affection for Dundee United as a “dysfunctional love affair”.
3 – He didn’t always support independence
Mr Foote was not always a supporter of Scotland leaving the UK, although admitted he had long been “sympathetic” to independence.
In 2018, the veteran newspaperman came out in favour of ending the union in the midst of controversies surrounding Brexit.
His formal backing for independence was hailed as “hugely significant” by former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
At the time, Mr Foote confessed Scotland would face “difficult decisions” as an independent country, but insisted it would be better than staying in an “isolated Britain”.
Less than two years later, he would take on the job as the SNP’s top spin doctor.
4 – He’s behind one of Scotland’s most talked about newspaper headlines
Just over a week before the 2014 independence referendum, a bombshell poll put the Yes campaign in the lead for the first time.
Two days before the vote, under Mr Foote’s editorship, The Daily Record unveiled “The Vow” on its front page.
David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg all jointly promised new powers to Holyrood if Scotland opted to remain in the UK.
The Scottish Parliament was later granted greater control over social security, allowing the SNP to introduce new benefit payments for children.
Former First Minister Alex Salmond claims “The Vow” played a major role in swinging the referendum in favour of the union.
But polling since then has indicated it was only a factor for a small number of voters when they went to the ballot box.
Before he was the newspaper’s top boss, Mr Foote was also the architect of another memorable headline about a hero taxi driver’s actions during the 2007 terrorist attack on Glasgow Airport.
It read: I kicked burning terrorist so hard in balls that I tore a tendon in my foot.
5 – He criticised police investigation into SNP finances
Mr Foote may have resigned from his post as the SNP’s spin chief due to a high-profile row with the outgoing leadership.
But he has warned the police investigation into the party’s finances – which has seen Nicola Sturgeon and her husband Mr Murrell arrested – may be a “wild goose chase”.
Mr Foote branded the police search of the couple’s Uddingston home a “grotesque spectacle” and said he is prepared to gamble there will be no charges.
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