:00:23. > :00:28.For the last four days Inverness has been the scene of the first SNP
:00:28. > :00:32.gathering since their historic win in May's Holyrood elections. It's a
:00:32. > :00:38.biggest conference the SNP has ever had, with delegates and journalists
:00:39. > :00:43.from all over the world. A carefully managed opening scene
:00:43. > :00:47.with all the SNPs on stage was followed by the First Minister's
:00:47. > :00:56.opening address. And it was no surprise he wanted delegates to
:00:56. > :01:01.enjoy the moment. Delegates, we gather here back at the Eden Court
:01:01. > :01:05.in great spirits as the first majority Government, I will say
:01:05. > :01:09.that again, the first majority Government in the Scottish
:01:09. > :01:14.parliament. Alex Salmond enjoyed a joke at David Cameron's expense,
:01:14. > :01:19.before calling on a higher authority to justify the old claim
:01:19. > :01:22.at Scotland's oil. Oil, gas, which we now know will last for the next
:01:22. > :01:28.50 years, we know it because the Prime Minister has finally realised
:01:28. > :01:33.it and admitted it. Apparently, his geography teacher at Eton had told
:01:33. > :01:38.him it would all be over by 2000. There's another advert for Scottish
:01:38. > :01:43.education, ladies and gentlemen. So, we know and it's now accepted that
:01:43. > :01:49.oil and gas will continue for the next 40 years, at least. Oil and
:01:50. > :01:54.gas and hydro power and wave power and wind power and tidal power, all
:01:54. > :01:59.of that unrivalled, and years and years of coal reserves if we are
:01:59. > :02:04.allowed to mobilise them. We believe that the natural resources
:02:04. > :02:08.of the nation, bestowed upon us by the creator of the universe, these
:02:08. > :02:12.natural resources ultimately should be at the diposal of the people of
:02:12. > :02:20.this nation and that priority, that people priority is what separates
:02:20. > :02:23.us from our unionist opponents. Unusual signs of dissent surfaced
:02:24. > :02:27.in a conversation about EU conversation but normal service was
:02:27. > :02:31.resumed when the infrastructure Secretary Alec Neil, always
:02:31. > :02:36.something of a conference crowd- pleaser, rallied the hall with his
:02:36. > :02:41.characteristic firebrand rhetoric. And last week we actually got some
:02:41. > :02:47.very good news that will help us in the independent referendum. Because
:02:47. > :02:53.the UK coalition Government said that every one of their cabinet
:02:53. > :02:57.Ministers is going to come to Scotland regularly, from now until
:02:57. > :03:04.the referendum. That means that every Tory Minister is going to
:03:04. > :03:09.come to Scotland, and every Liberal Democrat-Tory poodle Minister is
:03:09. > :03:19.going to come to Scotland and every time one of them come to Scotland,
:03:19. > :03:29.
:03:29. > :03:36.we'll bag at least 1,000 more votes But when they come, let us ask them
:03:36. > :03:41.some questions. When the Transport Secretary comes, let us ask her why
:03:41. > :03:50.is it that the high speed rail train from London is going to stop
:03:50. > :03:57.at Birmingham and Manchester, and come nowhere near Scotland? When
:03:57. > :04:06.the Defence Secretary comes, ask him if it's still him by the same
:04:06. > :04:09.time when they come, get him to go to Kinross and explain to the
:04:09. > :04:19.people there why those two communities had to bear the brunt
:04:19. > :04:27.of the UK defence cuts and all the job losses that go with it. When
:04:27. > :04:34.the Chancellor comes, ask him why is he cutting our budget? Why is
:04:34. > :04:41.there a 36% cut in our capital investment budget in Scotland in
:04:41. > :04:49.the same time when he's raking in �14 billion a year from Scotland's
:04:49. > :04:55.oil revenues? The last two years, in addition to all the other
:04:55. > :04:59.arguments I have for independence, have found another two, two
:04:59. > :05:04.grandchildren. I know it's hard to believe at my young age that I can
:05:04. > :05:12.be a grandfather, but it is true. And what I want for Scotland and
:05:12. > :05:17.for them is to be able to access the best education in the world, to
:05:17. > :05:24.have access to the best health service in the world, and when they
:05:24. > :05:28.grow up in their own country, not to feel the need they have to
:05:28. > :05:34.immigrate to get the chance of a decent job and decent standard of
:05:34. > :05:38.living and allow them to feel that they can raise their children and
:05:38. > :05:42.their grandchildren in a Scotland we can all be proud of.
:05:42. > :05:47.conference was about much more than what happened at the Eden Court
:05:47. > :05:50.Theatre, it spilled out in discussions between members and
:05:50. > :05:54.infringe events. On Friday the Daily Telegraph hosted a debate in
:05:54. > :05:58.the city centre hotel. Raymond Buchanan was there
:05:58. > :06:02.they came here to debate visions of independence, at the top table the
:06:02. > :06:05.party's campaign director and a former treasurer. From the audience
:06:05. > :06:09.questions about how this party can win with a referendum at least two
:06:09. > :06:13.years away. I have friends who are not at all interested in politics
:06:13. > :06:17.and I was visiting them last week and they were saying everybody is
:06:17. > :06:23.talking about independence and Alex Salmond, how do we sustain that
:06:23. > :06:26.until 2014? To help them win the party hierarchy are actively
:06:26. > :06:30.embracing traditions, so an independent Scotland would keep the
:06:30. > :06:33.Queen, still watch the BBC and have an open border. When people do
:06:33. > :06:37.listen to that they'll realise this is what every other normal country
:06:37. > :06:40.does in the world. We can have a great relationship with our 19s,
:06:41. > :06:44.continue to have a social one owe all value, but we can also be a
:06:44. > :06:47.normal country that makes the important decisions that affect
:06:47. > :06:50.ourselves as individuals, as families and communities.
:06:50. > :06:54.doesn't that sound like a lightweight version of
:06:54. > :06:58.independence? Independence is your parliament being Sovereign to your
:06:58. > :07:02.parliament can make whatever decisions it wants and it may be
:07:02. > :07:04.there are a series of areas where we continue to pool our interests,
:07:04. > :07:07.both with our neighbours and friends on these islands but
:07:07. > :07:10.elsewhere in Europe and the world. The key thing is that our
:07:10. > :07:14.parliament can make whatever decisions it likes, and that means
:07:14. > :07:18.if any of these arrangements on the optimal in the future you can
:07:18. > :07:21.change them. If that seems too strong for voters, the SNP have
:07:21. > :07:26.another option. More powers for Holyrood, but not independence.
:07:26. > :07:30.It's been called devolution max. It's not what delegates here want,
:07:30. > :07:35.but it will be better than nothing at all.
:07:35. > :07:39.With the consultation under way on whether to allow same-sex marriage,
:07:40. > :07:44.a fringe meeting chaired by Alan Smith gathered a panel from the
:07:44. > :07:51.Scottish youth parliament, and the campaigning group for lesbian, gay,
:07:51. > :07:53.bisexual and transtkpwepbder -- gender people. The view of the
:07:53. > :07:56.Scottish Government on the consultation is this: We tend
:07:56. > :08:00.towards the view that religious ceremonies for civil partnerships
:08:00. > :08:04.should no longer be prohibited and that same-sex marriage should be
:08:04. > :08:07.introduced so that same-sex couples have the option of getting married
:08:07. > :08:12.if that is how they wish to demonstrate their commitment to
:08:12. > :08:16.each other. We also believe, crucially, we also believe that no
:08:16. > :08:20.religious body or its sell Brants should be required to carry out
:08:20. > :08:25.same-sex marriage or civil partnership ceremonies.
:08:25. > :08:29.Scotland's recently published social attitude survey of 201061%
:08:29. > :08:32.of Scots stated they supported same-sex marriage. Civil
:08:32. > :08:35.partnerships are very similar to marriage in terms of the legal
:08:35. > :08:39.rights afforded to the couple. They're not quite the same and
:08:39. > :08:43.they're certainly seen as second- class. When the debate was opened
:08:43. > :08:46.to a contributions from the floor, many of the most passionate
:08:46. > :08:50.contributions came with a religious perspective. But although the
:08:50. > :08:57.meeting was mostly attended by supporters of a change in the law,
:08:57. > :09:01.there was a wide-range of opinions represented. Equal marriage is
:09:01. > :09:06.about strengthening the institution of marriage, and the legal concept
:09:06. > :09:14.of marriage and, frankly, the spiritual concept of marriage. It
:09:14. > :09:20.is not about taking away from it. If we look at the bible and God's
:09:20. > :09:29.judgment on homosexuality, I believe that whether our nation
:09:29. > :09:34.goes forward to independence under the SNP, will depend what the SNP
:09:34. > :09:41.does with this, whether we continue to be blessed by God and able to
:09:41. > :09:46.lead the nation, or whether God's blessing will fall from us. I have
:09:46. > :09:52.been married for 32 years and I have never understood why my
:09:52. > :09:57.marriage had anything to do with a Church and not to do with the state.
:09:57. > :10:02.I would like to propose that in an independent Scotland marriage is
:10:02. > :10:07.something that is recognised by the state and thereafter can be blessed
:10:07. > :10:10.by a Church if that's what the two people want. I would like to say
:10:10. > :10:15.something to the churches, no one is imposing anything on the
:10:15. > :10:20.churches. It is up to you to have that debate. But what I would say
:10:20. > :10:24.to you is listen to your congregations. Listen to what they
:10:24. > :10:31.have to say and I peek for my Church, and I know that a majority
:10:31. > :10:36.of Catholics are in favour of gay marriage in Scotland.
:10:36. > :10:40.The thing is, first of all, they go on about equality, equality, you
:10:40. > :10:45.know, and between man and woman and we all have to have the same rights
:10:45. > :10:50.and everything. Well, as what is stated homosexuals do have the same
:10:50. > :10:57.rights in civil partnerships to tie the knot. They can get it done with
:10:57. > :11:01.a Reg is strar -- in a registrar. That's it, it's marriage in all but
:11:01. > :11:05.name. The Justice Secretary is no stranger to controversy. Events in
:11:05. > :11:09.Libya last week were a reminder of the reaction after he released the
:11:09. > :11:11.man convicted of the Lockerbie bombing. And his planned reform of
:11:11. > :11:16.the police has also been controversial.
:11:16. > :11:21.We will ensure the maintenance of the outstanding police service to
:11:21. > :11:25.Scotland's communities through a single police service. The status
:11:25. > :11:30.quo is not an option. Let me challenge some of the hypocrisy
:11:30. > :11:35.from those who opposed a single service. The Liberal Democrats
:11:35. > :11:39.criticised reform that was taken to protect the outstanding Forensic
:11:39. > :11:42.Science Service we have in Scotland. We have consolidated it, but
:11:42. > :11:47.protected it. Ensuring not just that there will be state of the art
:11:47. > :11:52.premises in Dundee, but a continuing service in Edinburgh and
:11:52. > :11:57.Aberdeen. But what of the Liberal Democrats been doing in the
:11:57. > :12:03.coalition south of the border? They're privatising the service,
:12:03. > :12:13.lock, stock and laboratory. Their claims on the Police Service were
:12:13. > :12:16.
:12:16. > :12:22.hypocritical and they got the There have been some legitimate
:12:22. > :12:26.concerns raised, but they are being addressed. We will ensure there is
:12:26. > :12:30.neither a centralisation, lack of accountability or interference in
:12:30. > :12:36.governance. Our police and prosecution service will continue
:12:36. > :12:42.to serve as at home and abroad, the events in Libya in the last 24
:12:42. > :12:47.hours may be bringing one issue to a conclusion. But the Lockerbie
:12:48. > :12:53.investigation remains a live inquiry. Police and prosecutors, as
:12:53. > :13:00.they have done for 23 years, will take whatever action is necessary
:13:00. > :13:06.and follow any lines of inquiry in the interests of justice.
:13:06. > :13:09.In her speech on Friday, Nicola Sturgeon reflected both on broad
:13:10. > :13:17.issues of being the party of Government and also on her own
:13:17. > :13:21.specific remit of Health. The real one of our Government is that we
:13:22. > :13:31.have the confidence, the conviction and ability to govern by the power
:13:31. > :13:38.and strength of our argument and that is what we will do. Of course,
:13:38. > :13:44.in the last Parliament, as a minority, we occasionally won the
:13:44. > :13:51.argument but lost the vote. That is what happened on alcohol minimum
:13:51. > :13:58.pricing. Labour's decision to vote down minimum pricing on spend to
:13:58. > :14:02.this day. That vote, that single vote, said that if they cared more
:14:03. > :14:09.about petty party politics than about the public health of our
:14:09. > :14:19.nation. And no party that gets its priorities that wrong is fit to
:14:19. > :14:19.
:14:19. > :14:28.govern our country. I can tell you today that our minimum pricing bill
:14:28. > :14:33.will be reintroduced to Parliament within the next month. I am so very
:14:33. > :14:43.proud to be part of a government that has the courage to do what is
:14:43. > :14:46.
:14:46. > :14:53.right. Back last year, dozens of clinicians signed a newspaper
:14:53. > :15:00.advert backing as for minimum pricing. Just last week, 60 leading
:15:00. > :15:03.clinicians in England, speaking on behalf of tens of thousands more,
:15:03. > :15:08.wrote to the newspapers pleading with the UK Government to abandon
:15:08. > :15:14.their plans to privatise the National Health Service. Those
:15:14. > :15:20.pleas fell on deaf ears. It now seems inevitable that the Tories,
:15:20. > :15:30.aided and abetted by the Liberal partners, will break-up the NHS in
:15:30. > :15:32.
:15:32. > :15:42.England. Our country may not be independent yet, but thankfully,
:15:42. > :15:44.
:15:44. > :15:50.our NHS is independent. And let me make this very clear, the NHS in
:15:50. > :15:55.Scotland will remain a public service, paid for by the public and
:15:55. > :16:05.accountable to the public. There will be no privatisation of the
:16:05. > :16:09.
:16:09. > :16:14.National Health Service in Scotland. Delegates, for the UK parties, the
:16:14. > :16:18.independence debate is not about the best interests of Scotland, it
:16:18. > :16:26.never has been. They just want to keep control of Scotland's
:16:26. > :16:30.resources. David Cameron gave the game away when he came north last
:16:30. > :16:36.week to lay claim to the next generation of North Sea oil. Hear
:16:36. > :16:41.this, David Cameron, it always was Scotland's Coyle, it still is
:16:41. > :16:49.Scotland's oil and it is time that the Scottish people got the benefit
:16:49. > :16:55.of it. -- always was Scotland's oil. Devolution has created anomalies,
:16:55. > :17:01.one of which highlighted in a fringe meeting about broadcasting.
:17:01. > :17:06.We mentioned going forward in terms of independence, where does the
:17:06. > :17:14.Scottish digital channels than the light of all this? -- stand? Do we
:17:14. > :17:19.want to maintain the BBC? People say, close it down. What is
:17:19. > :17:24.important to people? It will be things like, getting EastEnders. We
:17:24. > :17:31.need a clear statement about what we want out of the BBC if we get
:17:31. > :17:36.full devolution and control. These are big questions. Part of that is
:17:36. > :17:40.to have influence in terms of the licence fee, representation in the
:17:40. > :17:44.BBC Trust, we have some concessions there. There are some things in
:17:44. > :17:50.terms of what will be done in Westminster, pursuing some
:17:50. > :17:55.amendments to make sure that we have, under devolution, a better
:17:56. > :17:59.influence. But we have to make sure we have a range of choice on the
:17:59. > :18:06.digital network to make sure that we have one alternative you. Within
:18:06. > :18:12.that. -- An alternative point within that.
:18:12. > :18:17.Angus Robertson, who masterminded the election campaign, outlined his
:18:18. > :18:23.strategy to drive on a yes vote in the independence referendum.
:18:23. > :18:33.will work as hard as possible in an unprecedented national campaign to
:18:33. > :18:34.
:18:34. > :18:44.secure a majority yes vote for a sovereign independent Scotland.
:18:44. > :18:47.
:18:47. > :18:52.CHEERING. So... LAUGHTER. We will start by
:18:52. > :18:55.galvanising and motivating members and supporters. We will start by
:18:55. > :19:00.working with the many supporters of independence with no party
:19:00. > :19:05.affiliation and was of other parties. We will engage with
:19:05. > :19:08.different sectors of society to raise confidence, optimism and
:19:08. > :19:14.understanding of the independence case. We will reach out within
:19:14. > :19:17.communities, door by a door, street by street, in the most
:19:17. > :19:24.unprecedented campaign of globalisation and communication by
:19:24. > :19:29.the SNP and in the history of Scottish politics. Already at a
:19:29. > :19:32.national level, we have started the necessary project planning,
:19:32. > :19:38.including research and brand development. We are Updating the
:19:38. > :19:41.activate system to deliver the best computer support. We have also
:19:41. > :19:47.started the necessary financial planning to properly fund the
:19:47. > :19:51.independence campaign. And today, I am delighted to confirm that the
:19:51. > :19:57.Independent's campaign has been generously supported by the late,
:19:58. > :20:04.great Scot's poet, Edwin Morgan, with the substantial contribution
:20:04. > :20:09.of �918,000, which is ring-fenced for the referendum campaign.
:20:09. > :20:14.Following him, Finance Secretary, John Swinney, giving a flavour of
:20:14. > :20:18.how nationalists plan to take on those who will argue that Scotland
:20:19. > :20:23.cannot afford to go it alone. course, the forces of negativity
:20:24. > :20:28.will tell us that Scotland cannot stand on her own two feet. Let me
:20:28. > :20:32.give you a taste of what we will see about that. As the global
:20:32. > :20:37.economy recovers from recession, all countries run a deficit, but
:20:37. > :20:42.the UK deficit is higher than that in Scotland. In four of the last
:20:42. > :20:47.five years, Scotland has run a budget surplus. The UK was in
:20:47. > :20:52.deficit of each of those five years. Scotland contributes more to do you
:20:52. > :20:56.keep in tax revenue than we get back in UK public spending. --
:20:56. > :21:03.contributes more to the UK. Scotland is contributing to the
:21:03. > :21:07.United Kingdom, our country pays its way. The figure sure that, with
:21:07. > :21:12.a geographical share of off-shore Resources, Scotland would be the
:21:12. > :21:17.6th wealthiest country in the world, 10 places ahead of the UK. This is
:21:17. > :21:25.the time it to put the wealth of Scotland to work or the people of
:21:25. > :21:30.Scotland. Alex Salmond's keynote address focused on what he sees as
:21:30. > :21:34.the achievements of his Government. He spoke about energy and made
:21:34. > :21:41.clear his opposition to interference from Westminster on
:21:41. > :21:46.the vote on independence. A good phrase, that humanity of the realm,
:21:46. > :21:51.a concept developed in medieval Scotland to describe an idea of
:21:51. > :21:56.community identity be on sectional interest. The best Scots term would
:21:56. > :22:00.be the common Weal. It does not ignore the fact that, sometimes as
:22:00. > :22:05.a government, we have to take sides with in Scotland as well as taking
:22:05. > :22:09.Scotland's side, particularly when times are difficult, asking the
:22:09. > :22:15.rich to help the poor, the strong to help the weak, the parable to
:22:15. > :22:20.help the powerless. Right now, that focuses on jobs than the economy.
:22:20. > :22:25.John Swinney spends every waking minute to encourage businesses to
:22:25. > :22:29.grow and attract new country -- attract new companies to Scotland.
:22:29. > :22:34.We have the most competitive business tax resumed across the
:22:34. > :22:39.silence. 80,000 small businesses either pay no rates or have
:22:39. > :22:46.substantial discounts. We know that their success is the key to future
:22:46. > :22:55.job creation. We shall continue to or for a crucial incentives. The
:22:55. > :23:01.Small Business Bonus stays in SNP Scotland. -- continue to offer
:23:01. > :23:05.crucial incentives. But also, in the last few months, a procession
:23:05. > :23:12.of major international companies have chosen Scotland as the place
:23:12. > :23:17.to conduct business. The message has been the same, Scotland has the
:23:17. > :23:24.people and resource to allow them to conduct international operations
:23:24. > :23:28.from its Scottish base. What have the UK Government focused on? That
:23:28. > :23:35.is why must we focus on jobs and investment? They have formed a
:23:35. > :23:42.Cabinet sub-committee to attack Scottish independence. Cameron,
:23:42. > :23:45.cloud, Oswald, Alexander work on a committee looking at doing down
:23:45. > :23:51.Scotland while the youth -- whilst the European Monetary System brings
:23:51. > :23:56.on collapse, whilst inflation is more than double its target. These
:23:56. > :24:02.politicians wonder why be carried no conference -- while -- the
:24:02. > :24:12.wonder why they carry no confidence. The message is clear. Stop
:24:12. > :24:13.
:24:13. > :24:18.attacking Scottish aspirations and start supporting economic recovery.
:24:18. > :24:27.Scotland, our country, has the great history of energy resources
:24:27. > :24:32.in Europe. On Thursday, I went to announce the redevelopment of the
:24:32. > :24:37.great fabrication site. Thousands of jobs can be developed. Marine
:24:37. > :24:41.engineering will come alive and the Highlands of Scotland. Today, I
:24:41. > :24:46.announce another important development in the journey to lead
:24:46. > :24:51.in wave and tidal power. A new fund to support Marine Energy
:24:51. > :24:57.commercialisation. His words -- this will support the development
:24:58. > :25:01.of scaling up devices currently on test in Scottish waters. This is
:25:01. > :25:05.part of a �35 million investment over three years supporting the
:25:05. > :25:11.testing technology, infrastructure and deployment. Scotland is leading
:25:11. > :25:16.the race to develop off-shore renewables. Our nation moves up
:25:16. > :25:26.another gear. The message is clear, in Marine Energy, Scotland rules
:25:26. > :25:34.
:25:34. > :25:41.the waves. In the way to Inverness, on Thursday, I noticed an outdoor
:25:41. > :25:45.company called no limits. It is a beautiful idea. But it carries more
:25:45. > :25:51.punch for the Scots. No limits to ambition, your courage, your
:25:51. > :25:55.journey. It sums up the spirit of freedom that many of us take from
:25:55. > :26:01.the magnificent landscape in which we wish for society and for
:26:01. > :26:06.politics. It is the same spirit that was reflected in the world of
:26:06. > :26:10.Charles Stewart Purnell. No man has the right to fix the boundary of a
:26:10. > :26:15.march of the nation. No man should say to his country, you should go
:26:15. > :26:20.no further. The days of Westminster politicians telling Scotland what
:26:20. > :26:30.to do, or what to think, a Rover. The Scottish people will set the
:26:30. > :26:30.
:26:31. > :26:36.agenda for the future. -- those days are over.
:26:36. > :26:39.Brian Taylor joins me. You can feel the electricity amongst delegates
:26:39. > :26:45.looking ahead to the independence referendum. The First Minister
:26:45. > :26:49.signalled he would be prepared to consider your Pope -- consider the
:26:50. > :26:58.option of devolution max. How are some members feeling about this?
:26:58. > :27:02.Given the extent of the prize, -- Given the extent of the prize,
:27:02. > :27:06.which they have fought for for the whole existence, it would be
:27:06. > :27:12.unsurprising that some people did not question this. I do think it is
:27:12. > :27:16.only one or two. I was astonished by the extent of tolerance and
:27:16. > :27:20.leeway given to Alex Salmond, given he is deferring their referendum
:27:20. > :27:24.for a few more years. I thought there would be more than a party
:27:24. > :27:30.saying to get on with it. We had Angus Robertson setting out in
:27:30. > :27:35.great detail the strategy. He says, starting now, with independence
:27:35. > :27:40.ambassadors going out to every street in Scotland, although be a
:27:40. > :27:44.referendum being deferred, they are not wasting time. They are very
:27:44. > :27:50.much focusing on the independence option, not the alternative
:27:50. > :27:55.proposal that may be on the ballot paper. There must be a lot of party
:27:55. > :27:59.members pinching themselves that they are in this position. John
:27:59. > :28:04.Swinney said he first came as a teenager to an SNP conference and,
:28:04. > :28:08.30 years on, he finds himself at the forefront of by the
:28:08. > :28:13.independence referendum. Something he questioned would ever happen in
:28:13. > :28:18.his career. The mood of this conference has been ecstatic. It
:28:18. > :28:22.has also been contained and controlled ecstasy. People know
:28:22. > :28:26.they still have to fight that battle. In the conference hall,
:28:27. > :28:31.they are talking to the converted. It is now time to convince the rest
:28:31. > :28:35.of Scotland. The rival parties will vigorously pursue the case for
:28:36. > :28:39.containing -- for continuing the union.