Callum McCaig: Who is the SNP's new chief executive and what is his link to Nicola Sturgeon?
The former Aberdeen MP is the party’s fifth chief executive since Peter Murrell quit in March 2023
In a surprise announcement, the SNP appointed former Aberdeen MP Callum McCaig as its new chief executive over the weekend.
Mr McCaig is the fifth person to take on the role since Peter Murrell, the estranged husband of Nicola Sturgeon, quit in March 2023 amid a row over membership figures.
The appointment comes after Carol Beattie stepped down with immediate effect, citing personal health reasons.
What Callum McCaig said about his appointment
“It is a great privilege to be appointed as chief executive and I pay tribute to the work of my predecessor, Carol Beattie,” Mr McCaig said in a statement.
“The party is fighting-fit and election-ready. I look forward to working with John Swinney to secure that victory in 2026, and onward to independence.”
But who exactly is Mr McCaig?
Callum McCaig’s background
He was the MP for Aberdeen South from May 2015 until 2017, and during that time served as the SNP’s energy and climate change spokesman.
He was previously the leader of Aberdeen City Council from 2011 until 2012, taking over at the age of just 26, making him one of the youngest council leaders in the UK.
What is Callum McCaig’s link to Nicola Sturgeon?
After losing his Westminster seat to Conservative candidate Ross Thomson in 2017, Mr McCaig became a special advisor to Ms Sturgeon, the former first minister.
He remained in post under her successor Humza Yousaf, but stood down when John Swinney became first minister and SNP leader. Mr McCaig has since worked for the communications consultancy 56 Degrees North, specialising in public affairs and campaigns.
What has Callum McCaig said recently about the SNP?
Writing on the firm’s website in January, he said the revival of the SNP’s political fortunes since the general election had been “quite remarkable”.
He said: “Of course, Swinney will have believed it was possible to turn things around. If he didn’t, he would not have taken on the role of first minister. He will surely be surprised at how quickly it has happened, though.
“But in an environment where a party can open up a 16-point poll lead in six months, it can be lost just as fast. Politics in Scotland, like in much of the democratic world, has become less fixed, more flexible and far harder to predict.”
The SNP might be ahead in the polls, but Mr McCaig seems fully aware of the challenges ahead.
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