New SNP chief was forced to apologise over vile post attacking Royals

The SNP’s new chief executive shared a vile social media post which suggested the Royal Family should be executed.

Carol Beattie will take over from Murray Foote after he unexpectedly quit last week.

The move sparked a search for a new chief executive for the second time in 14 months.

However, it’s been revealed that Ms Beattie was forced to apologise for sharing an offensive post after the Princess of Wales made a rare public appearance during her cancer battle.

After an article praised the Princess, saying that ‘lesser mortals would have stayed at home’ but that Catherine had shown ‘the show goes on’, a June 16 tweet read: ‘F*** all the way off with your gold plated serfdom! Time for the French solution to monarchy and sycophantic “journalists”.’

Ms Beattie, the former Stirling Council chief executive, shared the tweet with her followers.

She also said that ‘intelligent people don’t support the monarchy’ and those who do ‘use them as symbols of their bigotry or xenophobic values’.

The concerning behaviour, which she has since apologised for, was first highlighted after she was announced as the SNP’s candidate in a Falkirk Council by-election last month - a short time after leaving her politically impartial council role in May.

Now, her new high-profile job - which will see her take over the day-to-day running of the party of Scottish Government - has brought her previous comments into sharp focus.

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.’

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Although Ms Beattie has apologised for her comments and removed the tweets in question, her controversial appointment is the latest crisis to hit the party.

It suffered a disastrous general election campaign and membership numbers are crumbling.

Meanwhile Operation Branchform - the police investigation into party finances - has been running for three years and remains ongoing,

Last week the SNP - specifically Ms Beattie, who was running as a candidate - lost out to Labour in a council by-election in Falkirk South.

She has barrelled into the new interim chief executive position after former Daily Record editor Mr Foote resigned last week.

He was only appointed as the SNP chief 14 months ago under Humza Yousaf, but said he could not make the commitment to see through a massive internal restructuring of the party.

Mr Foote, 57, said: ‘The SNP has recently embarked on a substantial process of internal reorganisation and renewal to better equip it for current electoral contests and to prepare for the critical Scottish parliament elections in 2026.

‘While I agree these changes are both essential and appropriate, I also recognised after a period of reflection that I could not make the necessary personal commitment to leading the delivery of these changes into 2026 and beyond.’

He had previously been head of the party’s parliamentary communications but was forced to quit after The Mail on Sunday exposed him for lying to another newspaper about the SNP’s membership figures.

He took over the CEO role after Peter Murrell, 59, stood down over the same story.

But last night, SNP Depute Leader Keith Brown MSP said Ms Beattie had been warmly welcomed to SNP HQ.

He said: ‘Today the party’s National Executive Committee has appointed Carol Beattie as interim Chief Executive, and I warmly welcome her to this role at a crucial time for our party.

‘She brings considerable experience to the role and her appointment will continue the work, under John Swinney’s leadership, to ensure a professional, modern, dynamic election-winning organisation.

‘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 said: ‘It’s a huge honour to take up the position of interim Chief Executive of the SNP.

‘I look forward to meeting the team at the earliest opportunity and working with colleagues whose efforts have delivered the success of the SNP to date.

‘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.’