Council boss who shared 'shameful' remarks is new SNP chief exec

The former boss of Stirling Council 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.

Carol Beattie was appointed by the party’s national executive committee on Saturday following the resignation of Murray Foote.

But questions have been raised over disparaging comments about the monarchy shared by Beattie on social media following the Duchess of Rothesay’s cancer diagnosis.

Reacting to a story about Kate’s health, the post – written by another user – said it was “time for the French solution to the monarchy”, suggesting the Royal Family should be executed.

The Princess of Wales recording her message announcing that following her abdominal surgery in January “tests after the operation found cancer had been present.”

In another post, Beattie wrote that intelligent people do not support the monarchy and those that do “use them as symbols of their bigotry or xenophobic values”.

On another occasion, after stepping down as Stirling Council chief executive, she shared a video of man saying “get Westminster to f**k” from her X account.

Beattie, whose account is now locked, said: “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 murky appointment of Carol Beattie highlights the level of chaos unfolding within the scandal-ridden SNP.

“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.”

Beattie will take over the temporary post immediately before a full recruitment process gets underway for a permanent replacement.

Beattie served as the chief executive of Stirling Council until she stood down in May – supposedly to take up a new role in the private sector.

However, she was selected in September to fight the Falkirk South council by-election for the SNP. Her new role was confirmed just over 24 hours after she was defeated by Labour’s Claire Aitken.

Previously, the Tories said Beattie’s transition from council boss to candidate within a matter of months was without recent precedent and brings the long-standing convention of public servants carefully remaining politically neutral into question.

SNP depute leader Keith Brown said Beattie brings considerable experience to the role and her appointment will continue the work to ensure a “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.”

Beattie ‘honoured by’ role

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.”

Murray Foote announced plans to step down on Friday after just over a year in the job, saying he would be unable to make the necessary personal commitment to lead the SNP through the ongoing “process of internal reorganisation and renewal” ahead of the 2026 Scottish Parliament elections.

Foote had previously been head of the party’s parliamentary communications but quit after incorrectly describing reports about the SNP’s membership figures as “drivel”.

His predecessor as chief executive, Nicola Sturgeon’s husband Peter Murrell, resigned after saying he wanted to take responsibility for misleading the public over the figures.

Murrell has since been charged with embezzlement linked to a police investigation into the party’s finances and Sturgeon remains under investigation.