The former boss of Stirling Council Carole Beattie has been appointed as the SNP’s interim chief executive just weeks after she was forced to apologise for sharing “shameful” remarks about the Royal Family.
Ms Beattie was put in place by the party’s national executive committee on Saturday following the resignation of Dundee-born Murray Foote.
Her appointment comes just 24 hours after she was defeated by Labour’s Claire Aitken in the Falkirk South by-election.
Ms Beattie previously served as the chief executive of Stirling Council from 2019 until she stood down in May — reportedly to take up a new role in the private sector.
Announcing his plan to quit the senior role, Mr Foote said he “could not make the necessary personal commitment” to leading the reorganisation of the party ahead of the 2026 Holyrood elections.
But questions have been raised over comments that Ms Beattie previously shared on social media.
This included one after the Duchess of Rothesay revealed her cancer diagnosis.
Reacting to a story about Kate’s health, the post shared by Ms Beattie said it was “time for the French solution to the monarchy”, suggesting the Royals should be executed.
In another post, after stepping down as Stirling Council chief executive, Ms Beattie wrote that intelligent people do not support the monarchy and those that do “use them as symbols of their bigotry or xenophobic values”.
She later apologised, saying: “I apologise for any offence caused by the language I used and have removed the tweets.”
‘Shameful conduct’
Scottish Conservative chairman Craig Hoy said the appointment reveals the “level of chaos” unfolding inside the nationalist camp.
He said: “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.
“Carol Beattie’s shameful conduct and endorsement of deeply offensive comments has no place in politics and demonstrates the lack of morals which exist at the top of the SNP hierarchy.”
Ms Beattie will take over the post immediately before a full recruitment process can be carried out.
SNP depute leader Keith Brown said Ms Beattie would bring considerable experience to the role and her appointment will continue the work to ensure the party is “professional, modern, dynamic election-winning organisation”.
He added: “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 described the appointment as a huge honour, adding: “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.”
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