We all take our own time to get there

[Corky Smeek]

Murray Foote was editor of the "No" supporting Daily Record at the time of IndyRef1. It was he who published the infamous Vow, just prior to the vote, in which Messrs Cameron, Brown and Clegg pledged to devolve more powers to Scotland if we voted to remain in the UK.

He subsequently resigned from the DR and announced that he now supported independence for Scotland.

Today he was appointed Head of Communications for the SNP.

We all get there in the end. Murray Foote took a little longer than some. More and more are following suit.

[Fulmar]

I do think that you are right and it now stands at about 50:50 as you said elsewhere. It will be critical to see how it pans out for everyone in Scotland and also, so vital to heal divisions that exist.

[Goodfellers]

I see you are counting your chickens early again!

Murray Foote appears to always have been an SNP supporter, so he no doubt voted the same way as you in 2014. So I wouldn't count his vote as a 'switcher'.

From the news....

However, after retiring in 2018 after a 33-year newspaper career, Mr Foote declared himself as an SNP supporter and said he had always been "sympathetic" towards independence.Today Mr Foote said "no trees should be wasted" on writing about his appointment. Asked about "The Vow", he said: “I had a job to do. My job was to represent the views of the readership of the Daily Record. That was what I did to the best of my ability, regardless of my political persuasion.”

[Corky Smeek]

Today Mr Foote said "no trees should be wasted" on writing about his appointment. Asked about "The Vow", he said: “I had a job to do. My job was to represent the views of the readership of the Daily Record. That was what I did to the best of my ability, regardless of my political persuasion.”

Aye, I've lied in job interviews too.

My experience of the IndyRef1 campaign was that the Vow had a really significant impact upon the vote. I was heavily involved in my local Yes group at the time and all through the campaign we could feel support for Yes growing. We knew we were gaining votes. Early in the campaign when we held street stalls we had abuse hurled at us. By late August we had folk queuing up to ask questions and to ask for posters, badges etc. Our polling showed we had turned things around. Then the Vow was published and given blanket coverage by the MSM. And the balloon burst. The Vow effectively gave people a third choice - a federal Scotland within the UK. It meant the difficult choice; the leap of faith didn't have to be made. I think, in our group at least, we knew the game was up. The change in mood was palpable.

So, whilst I am pleased to see Murray Foote has formally changed sides and taken up a new post I do find his defence of his previous role a little hard to stomach. He must have known his actions were likely to be a game-changer. If he feels as strongly about independence as I do no amount of money, or indeed job security, would induce me to be complicit in its scuppering.

[Goodfellers]

The way I see it, he was either always an indy supporter, therefore no new vote for 'your side' or as you imply, he lied to get the job. In which case 'we' have an insider in charge of snp media. That's a win win I think

[Corky Smeek]

The way I see it, he was either always an indy supporter, therefore no new vote for 'your side' or as you imply, he lied to get the job. In which case 'we' have an insider in charge of snp media. That's a win win I think

Unless he is a double agent, of course, in which case you lose. I'm not that bothered either way. We have the wind in our sails and Boris Johnston is the best recruiting sergeant we could have hoped for. I'll only get worried if Blair McDougall or Alistair Darling claim to have had Damascus Road experiences.

[orkneycadian]

In the words of Roy "Chubby" Brown.....

"Alex, Alex, Who [on earth] is Alex?