:00:21. > :00:27.Welcome to Glasgow and the SNP Spring Conference. And the party
:00:27. > :00:36.has still got a spring in its step after last year's resounding
:00:36. > :00:40.victory. But of course, the eyes of every nationalist are on the
:00:40. > :00:45.ultimate prize of independence. Political debate has been dominated
:00:45. > :00:49.by the independence referendum. If the SNP get their way, it will be
:00:49. > :00:54.in two-and-half years time, but the party know they still have a lot of
:00:54. > :01:02.persuading to do to secure a yes vote. The Deputy First Minister was
:01:02. > :01:08.the first to try and rallied the troops for the long-term pain ahead.
:01:08. > :01:15.Welcome to the great city of Glasgow for what is aware biggest
:01:15. > :01:24.event. There will be no end to seats for Our Leader's speech this
:01:24. > :01:30.weekend! -- empty. Delegates, an awful lot has changed in Scottish
:01:30. > :01:37.politics since we met here in this city, in this very hall this time
:01:37. > :01:45.last year. Cast your minds back. Back then we were up 15 points a
:01:45. > :01:50.drift in the opinion polls. I was the only constituency SNP in the
:01:50. > :01:55.City of Glasgow. In fact this venue was situated in a Labour
:01:55. > :02:01.constituency. Our election chances were being written off. But as
:02:01. > :02:11.delegates, we still believed and less than two months later, we won
:02:11. > :02:16.an unprecedented overall majority in the Scottish parliament. So let
:02:16. > :02:22.us send a very clear message from this conference this weekend. It is
:02:22. > :02:26.our intention, delegates, to work hard to persuade the people of
:02:26. > :02:35.Scotland of our cares of independence and to win a
:02:35. > :02:39.resounding Yes vote in the referendum in 2014. But the bigger
:02:39. > :02:43.rallying cry was from the First Minister himself. The man who has
:02:43. > :02:50.put his party within striking distance of achieving its principal
:02:50. > :02:57.aim. Today in every town in every community we are working as never
:02:57. > :03:02.before to make Scotland the country we walked know it can be. Building
:03:02. > :03:12.recovery, creating opportunities, working for a Scotland that can
:03:12. > :03:13.
:03:13. > :03:17.truly prosper. A strong economy and a just society. In the January --
:03:17. > :03:22.in January, the Prime Minister tried to lay down the law about the
:03:22. > :03:26.referendum. I have a message for Westminster - the days of
:03:26. > :03:36.Westminster at telling Scotland what to do and what to think, these
:03:36. > :03:39.
:03:40. > :03:47.days are over! Of home wrought with independence beats Tory ball from
:03:47. > :03:51.Westminster any time and any day. Because, delegate, there is a
:03:51. > :03:59.simple and winning truth about independence. It is fundamentally
:03:59. > :04:04.better for our nation's to make decisions about ourselves. Those
:04:04. > :04:11.decisions must be taken by the people here who care the most about
:04:11. > :04:15.Scotland. We have the greatest stake in our nation's well-being.
:04:15. > :04:23.In good times and bad, the people of Scotland will work harder and
:04:23. > :04:30.care most. No-one will do a better job than the people living here.
:04:30. > :04:34.With the people of Scotland in charge, devising our own politics.
:04:34. > :04:43.We will make our country better. That is our message of hope for
:04:43. > :04:48.this nation. We know achievements are being made with the power that
:04:48. > :04:54.Scotland already has. We have seen the progress as a country that has
:04:54. > :04:59.been made in those areas where our nation already has some
:04:59. > :05:09.independents. In aware National Health Service - record low waiting
:05:09. > :05:11.
:05:11. > :05:15.times. Hide job satisfaction within the area of health workers. We were
:05:15. > :05:19.once told there were no alternatives to our policies. On
:05:19. > :05:24.the health service, we are showing a were friends in England there is
:05:24. > :05:28.an alternative, and let me be clear. Because of the Independent we have
:05:28. > :05:38.over Scotland's National Health Service, this SNP government will
:05:38. > :05:42.
:05:42. > :05:46.make sure that Scotland's NHS service is never for sale. On
:05:46. > :05:52.health, education, law and order, we have made Scotland a better
:05:52. > :05:58.place. Think what we could do if Scottish control of the economy, if
:05:58. > :06:03.international representation, it security was ours. Delegates, the
:06:03. > :06:13.lesson is a simple one. A little independence has been good for
:06:13. > :06:17.
:06:17. > :06:23.Scotland, but real independence Of the 10 countries that join the
:06:23. > :06:27.European Union in 2004, a majority had become independent since 1990
:06:27. > :06:34.and Scotland is bigger than six of these 10. Each and every one of
:06:34. > :06:41.these nations have a seat at Europe's top table, a right that
:06:42. > :06:47.Scotland should embrace. They can speak with their own voices, and we
:06:47. > :06:57.do the same. We stand on our own two feet, but we don't stand on our
:06:57. > :06:58.
:06:58. > :07:02.own. At 21st century Social Union replacing a political union that
:07:02. > :07:07.has long passed its sell-by date. It will require effort and
:07:07. > :07:11.commitment to make our country as good as we know it can be. A
:07:11. > :07:15.Scotland that is better than the one we have today. A more
:07:15. > :07:23.successful Scotland that we can pass on proudly to future
:07:23. > :07:28.generations. So let us now heed the words - go forward into the
:07:28. > :07:38.community of nations to lend an were owned independent ways to the
:07:38. > :07:45.
:07:45. > :07:49.As well as the big speeches, conference had several debates. In
:07:49. > :07:53.a resolution on Trident, there was a speech from one of the party's
:07:53. > :08:02.senior members. Have you noticed that these various people who
:08:02. > :08:05.propose some form of devolution or something another, say that foreign
:08:06. > :08:15.affairs and defence can be left to Westminster. That is absurd because
:08:16. > :08:18.
:08:18. > :08:23.they are the most dangerous aspects of politics. British governments,
:08:23. > :08:28.Westminster governments are traditionally desirous and clinging
:08:28. > :08:32.to the illusion that Britain is still a great power were. It isn't.
:08:32. > :08:36.It makes them a puppet of the United States. The extraordinary
:08:36. > :08:41.thing about the British Government and nuclear weapons is their policy
:08:41. > :08:45.is so contradictory. They are in favour internationally to reduce
:08:46. > :08:51.nuclear weapons and encourage other countries not to go nuclear, but on
:08:51. > :09:01.the other hand, not only do they maintain nuclear weapons, but they
:09:01. > :09:07.are proposing to renew them and strengthen them at great expense.
:09:07. > :09:12.The more intimate setting of small fringe settings allows for personal
:09:12. > :09:17.experience to inform party policy. On Saturday one of the lunchtime
:09:17. > :09:22.topics was held. We hold close to our hearts and notion of an NHS
:09:22. > :09:28.that is free at the point of need, I paraphrase, but how we are going
:09:28. > :09:33.to achieve that with the pressures on our system, I think it is the
:09:33. > :09:37.kind of challenge that Scotland has to stand up and rise to. My mother
:09:37. > :09:43.died on Tuesday morning in a borders General Hospital and I saw
:09:43. > :09:47.in all the times that I visited her down there, I did not see a single
:09:47. > :09:51.patient under 70. I sat with a nurse who was breaking it to me
:09:51. > :09:56.that my mother did not have long and we got into a conversation
:09:56. > :10:01.about the number of older people and the impact of dementia, which
:10:01. > :10:05.thankfully my mother did not suffer from, but at least 50 % of the
:10:05. > :10:09.people in that hospital do. She sat there with tears in her eyes and
:10:09. > :10:19.said how worried she was about how we were going to be able to meet
:10:19. > :10:20.
:10:20. > :10:27.this need into the future. When we look at the joining of health and
:10:27. > :10:35.social care, there are issues about post natal care. We are seen in
:10:35. > :10:45.women and die of post natal infections that we have never seen
:10:45. > :10:45.
:10:46. > :10:51.for -- that we have not seen for a long time. I need some reassurance
:10:51. > :10:57.around post natal care, that it will not be seen as an easy target
:10:57. > :11:02.and women and their babies will not suffer. Once we get our
:11:02. > :11:06.independence then we can stop the billions of pounds on Trident
:11:06. > :11:10.replacements, Wigan have different priorities in Scotland and that is
:11:10. > :11:17.what we can look after our elderly people and the most vulnerable
:11:17. > :11:24.sections of a what population. We are a which country. We owe wit to
:11:24. > :11:28.hour country to eradicate the poverty that so many live in.
:11:28. > :11:32.is a chance for delegates to submit their questions to senior members
:11:32. > :11:41.of the Scottish government. One was about overseas aid after
:11:41. > :11:47.independence. It has been long- standing party policy to spend 0.7
:11:47. > :11:54.% of our GDP on international aid. Will this be a priority for you in
:11:54. > :11:57.an independent Scotland? It will. This party's record on
:11:58. > :12:02.international development is long and strong. Twenty-five years ago
:12:02. > :12:05.when I joined this party, one of the reasons was because I knew the
:12:05. > :12:13.commitment to international development. That will be part and
:12:13. > :12:17.parcel of the type of thing independent Scotland will be
:12:17. > :12:27.protecting. It is about what we contribute as a country
:12:27. > :12:31.
:12:31. > :12:36.internationally. The anti-social behaviour in our towns is drink-
:12:36. > :12:45.related. What can we do to tackle a would be used culture? We have to
:12:45. > :12:48.look at ourselves. Individuals have to look at themselves. We are not
:12:48. > :12:53.prohibitionists as a government. I was out last night with a friend I
:12:53. > :13:02.had not seen for a while. We had a good time, but I can remember
:13:02. > :13:06.having a good time. That is a problem we face. Before, you used
:13:06. > :13:12.to save up for a good night and you could remember what happened. Sadly,
:13:12. > :13:18.we have a culture that has changed. It doesn't happen overnight. You do
:13:18. > :13:21.have to have legislation. You do have to bring in an Jones on how
:13:21. > :13:25.Algol is priced and promoted and we will not hesitate to do that. I
:13:25. > :13:31.think we have reached the tipping point in Scotland. I think we now
:13:31. > :13:38.realise it is not funny any more. We cannot go on as we are. Alcohol
:13:38. > :13:48.is there to be enjoyed, but when it is abused, the consequences can be
:13:48. > :13:52.
:13:52. > :14:02.The Union Flag may have been flying close to the conference venue, but
:14:02. > :14:06.it wouldn't bear the flag of an independent Scotland. The S&P --
:14:06. > :14:12.SNP believes that social union between Scotland and England can be
:14:12. > :14:15.maintained, even strengthened. are all products, all children of
:14:15. > :14:20.the Social Union between Scotland and England, which has existed long
:14:20. > :14:24.before the Union of 1707 and will exist long after. We all have
:14:24. > :14:30.friends and relatives in England and across all the countries of the
:14:30. > :14:34.British Isles. We share commercial, sporting and eighth ties which will
:14:34. > :14:38.continue. Not only will these social links and social union
:14:38. > :14:41.continue after independence, it will strengthen and prosper. For
:14:41. > :14:47.there will be forged a new foundation as at the resolution
:14:47. > :14:51.makes clear, of national respect, mutual co-operation and the right
:14:51. > :14:55.to national self-determination. Scotland has led the way in so many
:14:55. > :15:00.areas of policy development, the smoking ban and minimum pressing
:15:00. > :15:03.for alcohol. We can set precedents. We can address policy challenges
:15:03. > :15:07.fairly. These in turn can be adopted by other jurisdictions of
:15:07. > :15:12.these islands, according to their own circumstances. We can lead the
:15:12. > :15:16.way with innovation, integrity and, above all, respect. I'm standing
:15:16. > :15:21.here as the product of a very happy Social Union from an English mother
:15:21. > :15:26.and a Scots father, like many other people in here. I get very cross
:15:26. > :15:29.when I hear anybody berating his party am saying we are anti-English.
:15:29. > :15:33.My mother campaigned for 40 years for Scotland's independence. There
:15:33. > :15:36.are many English people in this party and non-English people in
:15:36. > :15:41.this party who are very much for Scotland's independence. I'm from
:15:42. > :15:47.Perth, in the northern part of Great Britain. I'm as much British
:15:47. > :15:51.as somebody from Stockholm. People in our nation still feel British,
:15:51. > :15:54.and that's why, after independence that will still be there and we
:15:54. > :16:01.will still have that Social Union, and if some people relate to that
:16:01. > :16:05.Social Union it is all right. It's find that should continue.
:16:05. > :16:11.Westminster MP Angus Robertson is leading the referendum campaign. He
:16:11. > :16:17.spelled out how it is moving forward. Amongst the new materials
:16:17. > :16:20.we have choices, the questions and answers. This helps undecided
:16:20. > :16:24.voters understand the exciting prospect of independence. There are
:16:24. > :16:28.different sections. Why independence is the best option,
:16:28. > :16:32.the advantages for the economy and jobs, benefits for individuals and
:16:32. > :16:36.families, affordability, being the right size for independence,
:16:36. > :16:40.currency continuity, pensions guarantee, the head of state
:16:40. > :16:44.dealing with financial challenges, better banking, best defence
:16:44. > :16:48.options, protecting public services, the transition to independence, how
:16:48. > :16:54.we can govern ourselves and how we will work with other nations. In a
:16:54. > :16:59.new innovation, this information is also available through I books,
:16:59. > :17:03.with app functionality. If you are out and about, if you need some
:17:03. > :17:11.information about the independence process, the facts and the
:17:11. > :17:15.arguments, you can access that at any time and share with others.
:17:15. > :17:20.another fringe event the Education Secretary gave a passionate defence
:17:20. > :17:24.of the curriculum for excellence. wasn't too bad as a student, I
:17:24. > :17:28.learnt things and remembered things. I didn't know why I was learning
:17:28. > :17:32.them. I haven't the faintest idea why I was learning them. Even now
:17:32. > :17:37.I'm not entirely sure if I could tell you via was learning them. You
:17:37. > :17:42.go into a school like St Peter the apostle in Clydebank, grade school
:17:43. > :17:45.that I went to to see some of the work a couple of weeks ago. They
:17:45. > :17:49.have in the school young people who are knowledgeable about those
:17:49. > :17:53.connections. Who know the skills and aptitudes they are building up.
:17:53. > :17:57.And know what education is and how we need to deepen. And they love
:17:57. > :18:03.coming to school. That's the other thing. No head teacher in any
:18:03. > :18:07.school and Scotland will say anything other than the enjoyment
:18:07. > :18:14.and challenge that has increased enormously. But we have that job to
:18:14. > :18:19.finish. We have the examinations, and that's on course. We know this
:18:19. > :18:28.will go through and we will see something very different coming out
:18:28. > :18:32.And the debate about independence and economics is fundamental. The
:18:32. > :18:36.finance secretary, John Swinney, laid out why he thinks their sums
:18:36. > :18:40.add up, and dismissed claims there is this model has been damaged by
:18:40. > :18:44.uncertainty over the referendum. The economic challenges that we
:18:44. > :18:48.face will not disappear with independence. But we are well
:18:48. > :18:53.placed, indeed better-placed, to meet these challenges head-on and
:18:53. > :18:56.to make the most of Scotland's opportunities. One of the oft-
:18:56. > :19:00.repeated argument on this point is that we should have the referendum
:19:00. > :19:05.sooner rather than later. The argument that our economy is
:19:05. > :19:09.somehow been damaged by a suppose a delayed does not reflect the
:19:09. > :19:14.reality of our experience. In the last year, companies like Amazon,
:19:14. > :19:19.Michelin, Dell and Avalon, amongst many others, have announced a major
:19:19. > :19:22.investments in Scotland. We've seen major global players in renewables
:19:22. > :19:30.and manufacturing, like Mitsubishi and Samsung, make real commitment
:19:30. > :19:34.to Scotland and will deliver jobs and opportunities. On Friday, a
:19:35. > :19:38.company announced a plan for �1 billion worth of renewable energy
:19:38. > :19:42.investment, and the transformation of a yard in the Highlands to we
:19:42. > :19:46.renewable energy hub which is also beginning. These are the real
:19:46. > :19:49.opportunities that are being delivered day-in and day-out by the
:19:49. > :19:59.Scottish government. That is a measure of the economic confidence
:19:59. > :20:01.
:20:01. > :20:11.Last year, Scotland's fiscal position was stronger than the it -
:20:11. > :20:11.
:20:11. > :20:18.- than the United Kingdom. Scotland contributed... Scotland contributed
:20:18. > :20:23.9.6 % of UK taxes, but we received only 9.3 % of UK spending in return.
:20:23. > :20:30.With only 8.4 % of the UK population, we paid more than our
:20:30. > :20:36.share and we got less back. Last year, we had a �2.6 billion
:20:36. > :20:43.advantage over the UK. An advantage worth �510 for every man, woman and
:20:43. > :20:48.child in Scotland. Over the last five years, that advantage totals
:20:48. > :20:53.�8.6 billion over �1,600 for every man, woman and child in Scotland.
:20:53. > :21:03.That is the real story of Scotland's finances. Scotland pays
:21:03. > :21:07.more into the UK than we get back The figures are so compelling and
:21:07. > :21:11.so persuasive that some of the most strident opponent of independence
:21:11. > :21:15.now accept that there is no economic barriers standing between
:21:15. > :21:24.Scotland and independence. Let me quote you some of them. David
:21:24. > :21:27.Cameron. It would be wrong to suggest that Scotland could not be
:21:27. > :21:33.another successful independent country. It seems pretty simple.
:21:33. > :21:37.Ruth Davidson, I believe that Scotland is big enough, rich enough
:21:37. > :21:41.and good enough to be an independent company. Scotland will
:21:41. > :21:46.probably be a successful country if it was an independent country. Ian
:21:46. > :21:49.Gray, I do not think Scotland is too small, too poor or too stupid
:21:49. > :21:54.to stand on its own. David McLetchie, an independent Scotland
:21:54. > :21:57.would be viable. They could forget the Secretary of State for Scotland,
:21:57. > :22:07.you'll never hear me suggest that Scotland could not go its own
:22:07. > :22:11.weight. -- its own way. The Deputy First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, is
:22:11. > :22:17.also the Health Secretary. Improving the health of people in
:22:17. > :22:21.Scotland is a driving priority for our government. Last year, I
:22:21. > :22:25.announced the detect cancer early initiative. It is an ambitious plan
:22:25. > :22:32.focused on the three big killer cancers - breast, bowel and lung.
:22:32. > :22:37.It aims to save 300 lives a year. When we started that programme, we
:22:37. > :22:42.knew that tackling lung cancer would be particularly difficult.
:22:42. > :22:46.Scotland has one of the highest rates of lung cancer in the world,
:22:46. > :22:51.with nearly 5000 people diagnosed each year - double the rate for the
:22:51. > :22:57.UK as a whole. And it's the most disadvantaged in Scotland who are
:22:57. > :23:02.at the greatest risk. If it is diagnosed early, you have a 60 %
:23:02. > :23:08.chance of survival. But if the cancer is well advanced the
:23:08. > :23:12.survival rate drops to just 1%. Early detection is paramount. That
:23:12. > :23:19.is why I am delighted to announce today that the Scottish Government
:23:19. > :23:24.is backing a new, ground-breaking diagnostic test to detect lung
:23:24. > :23:30.cancer earlier. The test detects what are called auto antibodies in
:23:30. > :23:33.the blood. The trial of this test works. Make no mistake, it could
:23:33. > :23:41.lead to lung cancer been diagnosed not just months but years earlier
:23:42. > :23:46.than it is now. We are the first country in the world to carry out a
:23:46. > :23:51.structured population assessment of this test. It puts Scotland, as we
:23:51. > :23:55.have so often been in the past, in the vanguard of medical progress.
:23:55. > :24:00.It is very early days, but this important innovation really does
:24:01. > :24:10.have the potential to save lives. I am very proud that Scotland is
:24:11. > :24:20.
:24:20. > :24:28.One of the duties of a compassionate society is to support
:24:28. > :24:32.those who care for others. We are one enormous debt to more than
:24:32. > :24:37.650,000 unpaid carers across Scotland. I want to thank them to
:24:37. > :24:43.date for the massive contribution that they make. But words of thanks
:24:43. > :24:48.on not enough. We need to show our support in action. That is why we
:24:48. > :24:54.have already increased respite care by an extra 10,000 weeks every year.
:24:54. > :25:00.That support will continue. I can also announce today that over the
:25:00. > :25:05.next three years, we will give a voluntary sector organisations �9
:25:06. > :25:10.million to provide short breaks for carers. Carers play a vital role in
:25:10. > :25:20.society. We can never ever repay them, but we must support them in
:25:20. > :25:26.
:25:26. > :25:31.every way we can. Our government On minimum pricing and on so many
:25:31. > :25:36.issues, Labour is just an obstacle to progress. Deaf to the arguments
:25:36. > :25:41.of health professionals. Blind to the damage that cheap alcohol is
:25:41. > :25:47.doing to our communities. Labour is still putting petty political
:25:47. > :25:52.posturing ahead of protecting public health. I know there are
:25:52. > :25:56.some particularly in the alcohol industry who have concerns about
:25:56. > :26:01.this policy. Scotland will be the first country to introduce minimum
:26:01. > :26:07.pricing. Some ask, how can we be sure it will have the effect that
:26:07. > :26:12.we think it will? I have done, and I will continue did do my very best
:26:12. > :26:16.to respond to these concerns. Does this week I agreed that the
:26:16. > :26:20.legislation will have a sunset clause. That will allow us to test
:26:20. > :26:24.the policy and practice, but give Parliament are built in right to
:26:25. > :26:31.review it after five years and then decide its future based on the hard
:26:31. > :26:36.evidence. My message today is this. Let us all respect the will of
:26:36. > :26:46.Parliament. Let us turn this policy into practice. And let us get on
:26:46. > :26:47.
:26:47. > :26:52.with the job of sorting out this To provide some analysis I am
:26:52. > :26:56.joined by our political editor, Brian Taylor. No prizes for
:26:56. > :27:01.guessing the subject that dominated the conference. If I could single
:27:01. > :27:05.out one phrase. The First Minister used it in his speech. The Home
:27:05. > :27:10.Rule of independence. Is there a definite attempt under way to make
:27:10. > :27:14.independence seemed a bit less scary to sceptics, less of a leap
:27:14. > :27:18.forward in the dark, more of a natural step on from devolution?
:27:18. > :27:22.has used the phrase home rule and it exasperated some of his
:27:22. > :27:26.opponents. The Liberal Democrats said it was their phrase and
:27:26. > :27:31.enhanced devolution. Alex Salmond is trying to appropriate that an
:27:31. > :27:34.appropriate devolution as well. Saying independence is in sequence
:27:34. > :27:40.from devolution. You get devolution and then you go further to
:27:40. > :27:45.independence. Not a radical jump. The phrase is used repeatedly, it's
:27:45. > :27:52.the natural condition of Scotland. The normal condition of Scotland,
:27:52. > :27:57.as Nicola Sturgeon described it. He is trying to offer the reassurances
:27:57. > :28:00.of the monarchy, the currency and what they called the Social Union.
:28:01. > :28:04.Party members are going to leave you feeling enthused. But what
:28:04. > :28:08.really matters to the SNP is to reach out to those people who don't
:28:08. > :28:11.know how they will vote win the referendum, even some of the people
:28:11. > :28:16.who would currently say they are opposed to independence. I was
:28:16. > :28:19.intrigued by the address by Angus Robertson. The presentation was
:28:19. > :28:24.very technical and serious. He was talking about the way in which they
:28:24. > :28:29.would run the Yes campaign for independence, that they propose to
:28:29. > :28:33.launch at the end of May. He argues there's a segment of Scottish
:28:33. > :28:36.society that is sceptical but persuadable. It they can be given
:28:36. > :28:42.detailed answers on individual topics such as the economy. He set
:28:42. > :28:46.out in detail how they intend to go about that task. That is all from