In a stunning development, Murray Foote, the Chief Executive of the Scottish National Party (SNP), has unexpectedly resigned from his position. The abrupt departure comes on the heels of the party’s worst election performance in nearly two decades, which saw them lose a staggering 39 Westminster seats and hemorrhage over half a million votes.
A Party in Turmoil
Foote’s resignation is just the latest in a series of setbacks that have rocked the SNP to its core. The once-dominant party has been grappling with a perfect storm of crises, including:
- The shock resignation of long-time leader Nicola Sturgeon in February 2023
- The tumultuous and short-lived tenure of her successor, Humza Yousaf
- The arrests of Sturgeon and her husband, Peter Murrell, in connection with a financial mismanagement investigation
- A steep decline in party membership, from a peak of 125,000 to just 64,525
According to a close source within the party, Foote’s decision to step down was driven by a recognition that he was not the right person to oversee the sweeping changes the SNP requires in the wake of these challenges. In a statement, Foote acknowledged that while the necessary reforms were “essential and appropriate,” he could not make the “personal commitment” to lead their implementation through the critical 2026 Holyrood election campaign and beyond.
A Campaign in Disarray
Foote, a former editor of the Labour-leaning Daily Record newspaper, had only been in the Chief Executive role for 14 months. He was widely blamed for mishandling the SNP’s disastrous campaign in the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election, which saw Labour overturn a 5,230-vote SNP majority on a seismic 20% swing.
That defeat presaged an even more catastrophic result in July’s general election, as the SNP’s vote share collapsed by 15 points. The once-invincible party lost 500,000 votes and saw its Westminster contingent slashed from 48 MPs to just 9—their worst performance since 2007.
“When I became leader of the SNP, I promised to deliver a professional, modern, dynamic election-winning organisation – and Murray’s successor will build on the work he has started.”
– John Swinney, SNP Leader and First Minister
Membership in Freefall
Adding to the SNP’s woes has been a precipitous decline in party membership. From a high of 125,000 under Sturgeon’s leadership, the ranks have thinned to just 64,525. While the party has blamed the cost-of-living crisis for the exodus, insiders say the leadership turmoil and financial scandal have taken a heavy toll.
Despite these challenges, Foote did oversee an improvement in the SNP’s financial position during his brief tenure. However, many activists questioned whether the former journalist had the political experience and clout to navigate the party through such turbulent waters.
A Daunting Road Ahead
As the SNP looks to regroup ahead of the pivotal 2026 Holyrood elections, the road ahead appears daunting. Recent polls suggest the party is running neck-and-neck with Labour, raising the once-unthinkable prospect of the SNP losing its grip on power in Edinburgh.
Much will depend on whether Swinney, as the new leader, can steady the ship and restore the party’s tarnished brand. He has promised to “deliver a professional, modern, dynamic election-winning organisation,” but with Foote’s abrupt departure, the scale of the rebuilding task has only grown more daunting.
As the SNP grapples with the fallout from this latest blow, one thing is clear: the party that once seemed an unstoppable force in Scottish politics is now fighting for its very survival. Whether it can rise from the ashes and reclaim its former glory remains to be seen, but the challenges ahead are immense, and the clock is ticking.
