By Hamish Mackay in The Scottish Review
Murray Foote, a former editor of the Daily Record, is the SNP’s new head of communications and research. Murray was editor of the Scottish tabloid when it published its striking The Vow front page ahead of the Scottish independence referendum.
He replaces Fergus Mutch who left the role after failing (by 900 votes) to be elected for the SNP in West Aberdeenshire in the last General Election.
‘The Vow’ saw the leaders of the three main parties at Westminster at the time – David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg – sign a pledge to devolve more powers to Scotland if the country rejected independence. It was published on the front page of the Daily Record just two days before the referendum in response to an opinion poll which suggested that Yes was on course to win.
Former first minister, Alex Salmond, has argued that ‘The Vow’ played a crucial role in Scotland rejecting independence – although some polling experts have questioned how big a part it played.
- Perhaps, once he gets his feet under the desk, Murray Foote will show that he believes in Freedom of the Press by lifting the ban and boycott placed on The Democrat by the SNP administration on West Dunbartonshire Council and the SNP constituency parties in Argyll and Bute? Editor