The Scottish National Party has appointed former MP and council leader Callum McCaig as its new chief executive, marking the third leadership change in the role within three years. McCaig takes over immediately from Carol Beattie, who stepped down due to personal health reasons following a meeting of the party's National Executive Committee on Sunday. The swift transition comes as the SNP prepares for the 2026 Holyrood election campaign.

McCaig brings significant political experience to the position, having served as leader of Aberdeen City Council, MP for Aberdeen South, and special adviser to two SNP first ministers. His background includes work in the private sector specializing in public affairs and campaigns. In his appointment statement, McCaig described the role as a "great privilege" and paid tribute to his predecessor's work while emphasizing the party's readiness for upcoming electoral challenges.

Beattie had been appointed permanently as chief executive in March, after serving in an interim capacity since October 2024 following the resignation of former Daily Record editor Murray Foote. During her tenure, she oversaw what she described as a transformation of party headquarters ahead of the 2026 election. Beattie expressed gratitude to her colleagues and reaffirmed her commitment to continuing her involvement in the independence campaign despite stepping down from the executive role.

The position has seen considerable turnover since Peter Murrell's departure in March 2023 after nearly 25 years as chief executive. SNP business convener Angela Constance welcomed McCaig's appointment, highlighting his public and private sector experience and expressing confidence in his ability to steer the organization toward electoral success. Both outgoing and incoming executives emphasized their focus on securing victory in 2026 and advancing Scotland's journey toward independence.

London's Metropolitan Police has reversed its longstanding position on grooming gangs in the capital, acknowledging for the first time that it has multiple active investigations into group-based child sexual exploitation. The shift came after an investigation by MyLondon and The Daily Express challenged official statements from both police leadership and Mayor Sadiq Khan, who had consistently maintained there were "no reports" or "no indication" of Rochdale or Rotherham-style rape gangs operating in London.

The investigation uncovered evidence from four separate His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services reports spanning 2016 to 2025 that documented at least six potential victims of grooming gang abuse. These case studies, which the Mayor of London personally responded to according to public statements, described children as young as 13 being exploited by groups of predatory men. The reports detailed how girls were plied with drugs and alcohol, raped in hotels by multiple perpetrators, and subjected to life-threatening situations.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley revealed to Assembly Members at City Hall that the force now acknowledges a "steady flow" of live multi-offender child sexual exploitation investigations and a "very significant" number of historic cases requiring reinvestigation. The commissioner estimated these reviews would cost "millions of pounds a year, for several years" to properly investigate, contradicting previous assertions that the force had "not seen" such cases in London.

Political figures including Reform UK MP Lee Anderson and Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp have criticized the mayor's handling of the situation, with Anderson stating there is "real, credible evidence that grooming gangs exist in London" and Philp alleging that Khan is "facilitating a cover-up." A spokesman for the mayor maintained that Khan has "always been clear that the safety of Londoners is his top priority" and remains "committed to doing all he can to protect children in London."