18/03/2017

:00:16. > :00:20.Welcome to our coverage of the SNP's spring conference in Aberdeen.

:00:21. > :00:22.At 3:30, we'll hear from the party leader, Nicola Sturgeon,

:00:23. > :00:27.We'll have that live, as conference gears

:00:28. > :00:44.Conference, this challenge comes down to Scotland against the Tories,

:00:45. > :00:48.and this time, Scotland is going to win. Thank you.

:00:49. > :00:52.APPLAUSE And I will bring you all of the news

:00:53. > :00:54.and analysis from the conference centre in Aberdeen.

:00:55. > :00:55.The SNP conference is rounding off quite

:00:56. > :00:58.The First Minister called for a second referendum.

:00:59. > :01:04.This afternoon, we wait to hear Nicola Sturgeon's next steps.

:01:05. > :01:10.Our political editor Brian Taylor is standing

:01:11. > :01:16.by at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre.

:01:17. > :01:26.Good afternoon, Brian. What a week in politics. Good afternoon. It's

:01:27. > :01:30.been quite something, hasn't it? From the First Minister's

:01:31. > :01:34.declaration that she was demanding a transfer of powers to bring about a

:01:35. > :01:39.referendum, to the Prime Minister saying: certainly not happening

:01:40. > :01:43.during the period of Brexit. What do we expect from Nicola Sturgeon? I

:01:44. > :01:48.think she reach out beyond the conference hall to those who are

:01:49. > :01:52.watching at home who perhaps just feel a little bit weary about the

:01:53. > :01:55.idea of a second referendum at this stage. I think she will say she

:01:56. > :02:00.understands that point, she empathises with it to some degree,

:02:01. > :02:04.but I think she will try and turn the argument around, purely from the

:02:05. > :02:10.European Union, to say it is about the sort of country that Scotland

:02:11. > :02:13.is, or rather, can be. She has made the argument before, but I think she

:02:14. > :02:17.would try to argue that, on the one hand, you have the option of a hard

:02:18. > :02:22.right concept of Brexit. On the other hand, she will say that you

:02:23. > :02:26.have the option of an independent Scotland with a progressive

:02:27. > :02:30.standpoint. I don't think she will neglect the day job, a phrase which

:02:31. > :02:34.has been used by several ministers, in which they say the independent

:02:35. > :02:39.argument is central to the wider interests of Scotland. I expect some

:02:40. > :02:43.policy announcements on health, education and the economic sector,

:02:44. > :02:49.but the biggest issue, Andrew, will be the issue of a referendum. Had

:02:50. > :02:53.evening delegates are viewing this? Would hesitantly optimistic be a

:02:54. > :02:59.good phrase? -- how do you think delegates are viewing this? I think

:03:00. > :03:02.there is a determination in the audience, but I think there is also

:03:03. > :03:09.a point that John Swinney made at the end of his speech. His speech

:03:10. > :03:12.was primarily about policy, about education and their education

:03:13. > :03:15.record, defending it vigorously, but at the end he turned to independents

:03:16. > :03:23.and he for cool heads on this. In other words, he said it was not a

:03:24. > :03:29.time to be vigorous ranting raving or whatever. It was a time to argue

:03:30. > :03:32.the case with the Prime Minister, and the point you are hearing from

:03:33. > :03:38.SNP leaders, from the leader of the Scottish Government is that they

:03:39. > :03:42.believe the Prime Minister's case is unsustainable. But she believes that

:03:43. > :03:46.now is not the time, the phrase she used, leading up to and beyond the

:03:47. > :03:51.period of Brexit, but she is not prepared to sanction discussions at

:03:52. > :03:54.all at the moment on the question of independence. She isn't even

:03:55. > :03:59.prepared to talk about it. She says, get Brexit out of the way, let it

:04:00. > :04:04.settle down, and then maybe perhaps, presumably at a time of the Prime

:04:05. > :04:08.Minister's choosing. Of course, that is unacceptable to Nicola Sturgeon.

:04:09. > :04:09.We have got a complete stand-off. Much more from Brian later.

:04:10. > :04:14.I'm now joined by Professor John Curtice of Strathclyde University.

:04:15. > :04:21.Good afternoon, John. Thank you for being with us again. Quite a week in

:04:22. > :04:25.politics. What is your reading of the situation, and how do you think

:04:26. > :04:32.Nicola Sturgeon might perhaps try and move things on from the current

:04:33. > :04:34.impasse? I think the situation is clear, in that certainly Nicola

:04:35. > :04:40.Sturgeon's opening gambit is, I would like to hold a referendum. As

:04:41. > :04:46.the Brexit negotiations are coming to a conclusion, but before Scotland

:04:47. > :04:48.has left the UK. Why does she want to do that? In truth, probably

:04:49. > :04:52.because she reckons that is the point in the process where there

:04:53. > :04:56.might be thought to be greatest uncertainty about the status quo.

:04:57. > :05:01.Given that one of the things that was disadvantageous to the argued

:05:02. > :05:05.that the referendum was the bidding for some but, well, at least we know

:05:06. > :05:09.what Great Britain is about and we can hang on to the status quo

:05:10. > :05:12.whereas, if we go for independence, there is a of uncertainty. When she

:05:13. > :05:18.talks about there being a choice, she is saying that she wants people

:05:19. > :05:22.to choose between two uncertainties, without it all on my side of the

:05:23. > :05:27.argument. Theresa May, in contrast, is saying that she doesn't want it

:05:28. > :05:31.on that time frame on the other hand, she clearly doesn't feel able

:05:32. > :05:34.to say no, even though many a Conservative politician in Scotland

:05:35. > :05:38.has said that people in Scotland don't want this, and why are we for

:05:39. > :05:43.a generation which she seems to be saying, we should now wait to see

:05:44. > :05:47.how Brexit falls out before making a choice. I think the subtext is

:05:48. > :05:52.clear, which is that she would like to be able to delay this referendum

:05:53. > :05:55.until after May 2021, when we are due to having another election in

:05:56. > :06:00.Scotland for the Scottish parliament and maybe the SNP will their

:06:01. > :06:05.majority. The difficulty with her position is, can she really string

:06:06. > :06:09.out delaying the referendum for yet another two years? I think the fact

:06:10. > :06:13.that Nicola Sturgeon at the back end up yesterday, said she is willing to

:06:14. > :06:18.negotiate over the date may well mean that Theresa May fans Belize

:06:19. > :06:25.find in the end it is quite difficult to say, well, maybe it

:06:26. > :06:31.shouldn't be in September 2019 or 710 -- or September 20 20. John,

:06:32. > :06:40.thank you. Much more from you later. The SNP deputy leader is with Brian.

:06:41. > :06:43.Thank you. I am joined by Angus Robertson. Mr Robertson, an issue

:06:44. > :06:48.that we think the First Minister is going to address and others have

:06:49. > :06:53.addressed is just offering understanding that some people,

:06:54. > :06:57.perhaps even including those in the independence Yes camp, are a bit

:06:58. > :07:01.weary about a referendum in this stage, or in the timescale set out

:07:02. > :07:04.by the Prime Minister. I think there is definitely a feeling of people

:07:05. > :07:09.being unsettled because there is a lot going on, not just with Brexit

:07:10. > :07:12.but internationally. I think people have concerns, and we have to

:07:13. > :07:16.recognise that, but I think what the First Minister is going to be

:07:17. > :07:20.reflecting on is that doing nothing is really not an option. Otherwise,

:07:21. > :07:24.things will just happen to us and we will not be the masters of our own

:07:25. > :07:29.destiny. That is why we need to understand that we have options. We

:07:30. > :07:33.should have a say, we should be able to determine our future and not have

:07:34. > :07:36.the hardest, most dangerous and damaging form of Brexit foisted on

:07:37. > :07:44.us in Scotland, given that we didn't even vote for it. Ward is there any

:07:45. > :07:49.way you can envisage of ending this impasse between the governments? I

:07:50. > :07:52.think so, because the timescale is all-important. We understand, when

:07:53. > :07:56.the negotiations start, the Article 50 process, it will take about two

:07:57. > :08:01.years and one will be negotiating for most of that I agree that one

:08:02. > :08:04.should be able to concentrate on the negotiations, and one would only

:08:05. > :08:11.choose on one would accept or reject what has been negotiated after that.

:08:12. > :08:15.It's important to understand that, in the last months of this two-year

:08:16. > :08:19.process, there will be a process of approval in Britain, in the House of

:08:20. > :08:23.Commons and House of Lords, which isn't even elected, and the European

:08:24. > :08:28.Parliament across 27 member states. When we get to that stage, I think

:08:29. > :08:32.it will be totally unsustainable for UK Government to suggest that

:08:33. > :08:36.everybody else, in London, Brussels, across Europe, that they will have a

:08:37. > :08:39.choice about Scotland's future but the only place we will not be able

:08:40. > :08:44.to determine that is in our own country. So I think in that period

:08:45. > :08:47.is the optimal one when we could have a referendum, and I think it is

:08:48. > :08:52.an inevitability that the Prime Minister will have to agree with

:08:53. > :08:56.one. But you want talks with the Prime Minister now about the section

:08:57. > :08:59.30 transfer of powers to Hollywood. That means in practice that the

:09:00. > :09:02.referendum campaign would be underway, and the Prime Minister

:09:03. > :09:05.would say that is the wrong thing to be doing while you are trying to

:09:06. > :09:11.focus on Britain's departure from the EU. -- transfer of powers to

:09:12. > :09:15.Holyrood. We should bear in mind there will be a debate in the

:09:16. > :09:18.Scottish Parliament next week. I think the anticipation is that a

:09:19. > :09:22.majority in our Parliament will vote for there to be a referendum. Given

:09:23. > :09:26.that we are supposed to be in a democracy, when our parliament voted

:09:27. > :09:30.in favour of something, the UK Government shouldn't take that

:09:31. > :09:33.likely, so I would appeal to the Prime Minister to reflect carefully

:09:34. > :09:37.on what she is saying. She has not said never. I agree that now is not

:09:38. > :09:41.the time, but at some stage we will need to get the ball rolling on the

:09:42. > :09:45.technicalities of how a referendum would work. The good news is that we

:09:46. > :09:50.have had one, so we know how to do it, so it doesn't need to be long

:09:51. > :09:57.and drawn out. Is the Scottish government willing as a government

:09:58. > :10:00.to extend autumn 18 to spring 19? She suggested there might be

:10:01. > :10:08.discussions with the Prime Minister. Are you willing to look at 2019?

:10:09. > :10:13.People in Scotland should be able to determine our future before we are

:10:14. > :10:17.taken out of the EU. If we are taken out of the EU, that is obviously

:10:18. > :10:21.disregarding the 62% of people in our country voted to remain. There

:10:22. > :10:25.is a sweet spot, but it could move, because we don't know exactly when

:10:26. > :10:29.the would end, we know that there will be a hard backstop on the

:10:30. > :10:34.two-year period. Some people are saying that there may be extensions

:10:35. > :10:39.from the negotiations agreed with the EU... So 2019 is probably the

:10:40. > :10:45.last date. We don't know. Between the end of the and the period where

:10:46. > :10:49.the UK would formally leave. You have said that Scotland will have

:10:50. > :10:55.its say. Does that mean, if the Prime Minister doesn't budge, that

:10:56. > :10:58.you go ahead with some form of unofficial, unsanctioned referendum?

:10:59. > :11:05.I am focused on persuading the Prime Minister. ... Is that a possibility?

:11:06. > :11:09.I understand that he wanted to ask questions from ten different angles

:11:10. > :11:13.but I think, given that we have a referendum on our country's future,

:11:14. > :11:18.we know the format and how it works, I think that is what will happen. We

:11:19. > :11:22.need to persuade the Prime Minister that, as a democrat, she should

:11:23. > :11:26.understand that Scots should be able to determine their own future and

:11:27. > :11:31.have a choice once the negotiations are underway. I appreciate that is

:11:32. > :11:35.your objective, but is it feasible to hold an unsanctioned referendum?

:11:36. > :11:39.It isn't the route we are looking to go down. We are looking to secure

:11:40. > :11:44.agreement with the UK Government. After all, if the UK Government was

:11:45. > :11:48.simply to say, it's impossible, you can never choose about your future,

:11:49. > :11:51.it starts getting very difficult for the Prime Minister to sustain an

:11:52. > :11:55.argument that the United Kingdom is based on respect and a partnership

:11:56. > :12:00.of equals, and she herself will do more to undermine the UK than

:12:01. > :12:05.anybody else. But if the grandest said that she will consult, she was

:12:06. > :12:08.keen to have engagement with the Scottish Government, but she didn't

:12:09. > :12:14.say that you have to agree before she proceeded with Article 50. She

:12:15. > :12:18.said she wanted a UK wide approach before triggering Article 50 but

:12:19. > :12:23.that would be in agreement. She said she wouldn't be triggering Article

:12:24. > :12:25.50 until she thought we had a UK approach and objectives for

:12:26. > :12:31.negotiations, but couldn't that just be that she has formulated policy in

:12:32. > :12:34.Downing Street? No doubt she is arguing that, but the idea that the

:12:35. > :12:39.Prime Minister in London with only one MP in Scotland, that she

:12:40. > :12:43.understands the views of people in Scotland, it isn't credible. If you

:12:44. > :12:46.want to work with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, you have to do

:12:47. > :12:50.it. She doesn't have agreement. There are still some days and weeks

:12:51. > :12:51.to do it and I would encourage her to do it. Angus Robertson, thank

:12:52. > :12:55.you. Now, the youngest MP in the Commons,

:12:56. > :12:58.Mhairi Black, received a standing ovation when she told

:12:59. > :13:00.delegates she's "going nowhere There's been speculation

:13:01. > :13:03.about whether she would want The MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire

:13:04. > :13:22.South was speaking in a debate I should start by making clear the

:13:23. > :13:28.conference and to party members and also to my constituents that,

:13:29. > :13:33.despite recent media reports from various outlets, I am going nowhere

:13:34. > :13:42.until the job's done. CHEERING

:13:43. > :13:48.Now, while my disdain for Westminster is no secret, and my

:13:49. > :13:54.desire for there to be no need for me to have to be there should be no

:13:55. > :13:57.surprise, I have to say that the Tory in a fit sanctions regime has

:13:58. > :14:05.to be one of the worst things to ever come out of that place. -- the

:14:06. > :14:09.Tory benefit sanctions regime. I have heard truly harrowing stories

:14:10. > :14:14.from people throughout the UK who have struggled to feed themselves,

:14:15. > :14:18.to clothe themselves and to keep a roof over their head, because the UK

:14:19. > :14:23.Government has left them with absolutely nothing. There is a new

:14:24. > :14:28.MP -- as a new MP, I said I would try to make some small but

:14:29. > :14:32.effective, common-sense changes to benefit sanctions, so last year I

:14:33. > :14:35.secured a private members bill, a rare opportunity for backbench MPs

:14:36. > :14:40.to create a law, and I wanted to ensure that a person's mental and

:14:41. > :14:43.physical health, the care and responsibilities and risk of

:14:44. > :14:47.homelessness had to be taken into account before any sanction could be

:14:48. > :14:51.applied. Of course, the bill was shot down. Very few Labour MPs

:14:52. > :14:56.showed up to support the bill and the Tory minister proceeded to talk

:14:57. > :14:59.it out. Tory MPs didn't believe and couldn't imagine how anyone could

:15:00. > :15:02.suffer under their amazing system. I told them that they should watch the

:15:03. > :15:15.incredibly powerful and absolutely gut-wrenching film by the very

:15:16. > :15:18.talented Ken Loach, I Daniel Blake. And I would still urge anyone who

:15:19. > :15:22.wants to understand what is actually happening to people in our society

:15:23. > :15:28.to watch it, but again, this fell on deaf ears and was coldly dismissed

:15:29. > :15:32.as purely fiction. If I had the power to do so, I would scrap the

:15:33. > :15:37.sanctions regime immediately, and that is why I am proud, and I think

:15:38. > :15:39.we should all be proud, that the SNP government in Scotland have chosen

:15:40. > :15:44.to take a different approach when it comes to social security. We know

:15:45. > :15:48.that benefit sanctions actually cause the vulnerable to fall into

:15:49. > :15:54.hardship. We know it makes it harder for people to find work, and we know

:15:55. > :15:58.that sanctions cost ministers more than they save, and the government

:15:59. > :16:03.must know that this contradicts their arguments. I have told them

:16:04. > :16:09.often enough! So that begs the question, what is the real reason

:16:10. > :16:14.they like to impose sanctions? Once you remove common-sense, the only

:16:15. > :16:16.argument left is ideology. The Conservative Party have always

:16:17. > :16:21.sought to cause division between groups of society in order to

:16:22. > :16:25.prevent that very same society from uniting and holding those in

:16:26. > :16:29.positions of power to account, so someone can't make a Jobcentre

:16:30. > :16:33.meeting in order to receive the incredibly small and only income

:16:34. > :16:37.that they can get. Surely it is our duty to understand why, not simply

:16:38. > :16:42.to take the life in a way? Fundamentally, any government should

:16:43. > :16:44.not be making its own citizens destitute, and that is exactly what

:16:45. > :16:51.this Tory government is doing. APPLAUSE

:16:52. > :16:57.So let me be clear, it is not fiction, it is not exaggerated and

:16:58. > :17:02.it is a reality for far too many people. If Westminster refuses to

:17:03. > :17:06.use the powers it has to end this cruelty, I have an idea, let's bring

:17:07. > :17:10.those very powers back up the road and let the Scottish Government do

:17:11. > :17:12.the job right. Thank you. APPLAUSE

:17:13. > :17:16.Let's go back to the conference where Brian has some

:17:17. > :17:27.Yes, indeed. Well this business of a referendum, it is causing a lot of

:17:28. > :17:30.interest here. It is about two Parliament, the Scottish Parliament

:17:31. > :17:36.and the Westminster Parliament.. Am delighted to say I am joined by an

:17:37. > :17:43.MP and MSP: Thank you for joining us. Looking forward to the First

:17:44. > :17:46.Minister's, I am in my Westminster mode, First Minister speeches. What

:17:47. > :17:49.are you anticipating from her? I am looking for her to talk about the

:17:50. > :17:53.choice that Scotland is facing. I imagine she will talk about the

:17:54. > :17:57.independence referendum and the section 30 that will be going

:17:58. > :18:01.through the Scottish Parliament she will talk about domestic policy and

:18:02. > :18:05.things happening in Holyrood. She wants to use the phrase forget about

:18:06. > :18:13.the day job, there will be a bit on that as well. On this business of

:18:14. > :18:16.the referendum. We expect she will try and make a contrast between what

:18:17. > :18:21.Britain would be under Conservative rule and what Scotland could be

:18:22. > :18:26.under what she will say will be progressive governance, is that a

:18:27. > :18:30.genuine choice? Is it it not between the European Union and the UK? This

:18:31. > :18:33.is an important choice the people of Scotland have. We didn't want to be

:18:34. > :18:37.in this position as a country. Scotland voted to remain in the

:18:38. > :18:43.European Union, but we are where we are, and we have now the choice

:18:44. > :18:46.between right-wing Tory hard Brexit, leaving the single market, or making

:18:47. > :18:49.our own decisions is about our own future, that is what the First

:18:50. > :18:52.Minister will be talking about today, what we will be voting on in

:18:53. > :18:55.the Scottish Parliament next week, and that is a significant choice for

:18:56. > :19:01.the Parliament to make next week, then for the country. Is that not a

:19:02. > :19:04.bogus choice in even if you characterise the Conservative

:19:05. > :19:06.Government in the way you do, it is the current Government, not

:19:07. > :19:10.necessarily the Government for all time of the United Kingdom. It could

:19:11. > :19:15.be argued you would lose the United Kingdom links in protest as a

:19:16. > :19:20.contemporaneous government? It is not a bogus choice. I see

:19:21. > :19:23.constituents that are suffering from Tory austerity, the level of people

:19:24. > :19:29.that are going to good banks for example. That is not a bogus choice

:19:30. > :19:33.they face, on a daily basis. It is very important choice about our

:19:34. > :19:37.future and it is about the type of country that we want. Do you want a

:19:38. > :19:40.right-wing Tory, and yes, they will be in power for some time, you know,

:19:41. > :19:44.you have senior members in the Labour Party that know that under

:19:45. > :19:47.Jeremy Corbyn there is no opportunity for Labour to be

:19:48. > :19:51.elected, until 2030, so when we look at that and we are looking at not

:19:52. > :19:56.just this Tory Government but more Tory Governments to come, with no

:19:57. > :20:01.change to Tory austerity, that is why Scotland needs to choose its own

:20:02. > :20:05.destiny. Say Scotland is offered that choice, you are saying go down

:20:06. > :20:08.the road of independence, particularly in protest as the

:20:09. > :20:13.policy of the incumbent Government. It could be arguing that as I put to

:20:14. > :20:15.Shirley Anne you lose the connections with the United Kingdom

:20:16. > :20:19.which your importants would argue are vital The thing is the problem

:20:20. > :20:24.we have got. One of the biggest problems is this Tory government is

:20:25. > :20:27.the one that, it is taking decisions that will shape the future of the

:20:28. > :20:31.whole of the United Kingdom, for ever more, so the decisions they

:20:32. > :20:36.make today cannot be rolled back on, if you think about things like

:20:37. > :20:39.single market membership, freedom of movement of people, those will set

:20:40. > :20:42.the future of the whole of the UK, now we want Scotland to have a

:20:43. > :20:45.choice to not go down that route, and that is why we are looking at

:20:46. > :20:50.the independence referendum. It could be said you had a referendum

:20:51. > :20:54.in 2014 that determined Scotland's attitude to independence. This is

:20:55. > :20:58.only three years on from that point. You talked about a generational

:20:59. > :21:02.vote. I don't think anyone thinks that the goalposts haven't shifted

:21:03. > :21:07.significantly. We weren't looking at the EU referendum coming up. We were

:21:08. > :21:11.told if we wanted to stay we would vote to stay in the United Kingdom.

:21:12. > :21:15.Things have change since then, we need to give Scottish people a

:21:16. > :21:20.chance for future. The Prime Minister is saying no, she is saying

:21:21. > :21:31.no within 2 timescale, if she continues to say no, would you think

:21:32. > :21:34.it is feasible to hold if you like an unauthorised unsanctioned

:21:35. > :21:38.non-cons is you'll referendum? The The him Prime Minister has made one

:21:39. > :21:43.screeching you feel turn round the National Insurance and left a gaping

:21:44. > :21:47.hole in the budget doing that. That is a policy matter in the budget,

:21:48. > :21:50.admittedly a very large one, but it is a policy matter in the budget.

:21:51. > :21:52.This would be about the nature of the governance of the United

:21:53. > :21:55.Kingdom, and she says she ain't going to shift on that in terms of

:21:56. > :21:59.the timetable. This is about democracy and whether you are going

:22:00. > :22:06.to allow the will of the Scottish Parliament and people to decide our

:22:07. > :22:09.own future. Would you contemplate a sort of unauthorised referendum on

:22:10. > :22:14.none consensual referendum? We have the vote in the Scottish Parliament

:22:15. > :22:16.coming up on Wednesday, I think it would be exceptionally ill-judged of

:22:17. > :22:21.the Prime Minister to ignore the will of the Scottish Parliament, if

:22:22. > :22:25.we win that majority which I expect we will. The Prime Minister needs to

:22:26. > :22:30.look seriously then at her relationship. She talked about a

:22:31. > :22:33.partnership of equals, if she remotely believes any of that

:22:34. > :22:36.rhetoric, which herself and David Cameron came out with, the time is

:22:37. > :22:39.to listen to the Scottish Parliament, listen to the Scottish

:22:40. > :22:43.people, and let Scotland decides its future. The Prime Minister might say

:22:44. > :22:46.that matters of the constitution, matters affecting a referendum are

:22:47. > :22:51.deliberately reserved to Westminster, in the Scotland act

:22:52. > :22:55.1998, and that she has the mandate at Westminster. The Prime Minister

:22:56. > :22:57.was elected, in fact the Prime Minister has not been elected Prime

:22:58. > :23:00.Minister, the Prime Minister was elected with a smaller share of the

:23:01. > :23:04.constituency vote than the First Minister was elected with. This is

:23:05. > :23:07.going to go through the Scottish Parliament we imagine on Wednesday

:23:08. > :23:10.and it will go through the Scottish Parliament with a majority now, the

:23:11. > :23:13.Prime Minister would be very unwise to go against the will of the

:23:14. > :23:16.Scottish people in this regard. Would it be going against the will

:23:17. > :23:21.of the Scottish people? Are they yearn foger a referendum? If you

:23:22. > :23:25.look round here. Here they are! If you speak to people here. I will

:23:26. > :23:29.give you that one, here they would be in favour of it. People in the

:23:30. > :23:34.street are saying I didn't want a hard Brexit, I want tot have a

:23:35. > :23:36.choice. OK, thanks both. Very you very much indeed.

:23:37. > :23:40.Education is their number one priority ,

:23:41. > :23:44.John Swinney, the Education Secretary, made a surprisingly

:23:45. > :23:48.He warned the Prime Minister must not trample on Scottish

:23:49. > :23:50.sovereignty, but first he focussed on how he was improving Scotland's

:23:51. > :24:03.For all the progress we have made, we know there is still more we have

:24:04. > :24:07.to do. That sometimes requires making tough choices and not shying

:24:08. > :24:11.away from difficult choice, the easy choice to make as the First Minister

:24:12. > :24:16.said on Monday would be to wait to see how things pan out. That applies

:24:17. > :24:19.equally to education as it does to our constitutional future. But I am

:24:20. > :24:22.not prepared to wait and see if the current way of doing things will be

:24:23. > :24:27.enough to deliver an education system that is world class, a system

:24:28. > :24:31.that can provide equity and excellence for all of our children.

:24:32. > :24:35.To achieve our. A Biggses, means making change happen. That means

:24:36. > :24:39.creating a different way of delivering education, creating

:24:40. > :24:42.better structure that empower teacher, schools communities and

:24:43. > :24:47.families so I am choosing to change our approach to school education. It

:24:48. > :24:49.means listening to teachers and not being afraid to tackle workload to

:24:50. > :24:54.football team up to teach and our children freed up to learn. So I

:24:55. > :25:01.choose... APPLAUSE

:25:02. > :25:05.So I choose to declutter the curriculum and reduce the amount of

:25:06. > :25:09.assessment, it means targeting resources to where the need is

:25:10. > :25:13.greatest, so we have chosen to make more funding available to Local

:25:14. > :25:16.Authorities and schools with the greatest level of deprivation, with

:25:17. > :25:20.more money directly into the hands of head teachers who are best

:25:21. > :25:25.placed, best placed to know what their school and children need to

:25:26. > :25:27.succeed. It means apse plying a consistent approach to improvement

:25:28. > :25:32.and assessment, so we can see where we might need to do more or to do

:25:33. > :25:36.things differently. And it means ensuring that we have the right

:25:37. > :25:40.people with the right skills in our classrooms and schools, so we will

:25:41. > :25:44.continue to expect Local Authorities, to maintain teacher

:25:45. > :25:50.number, and pupil-teacher ratio, all of these measures are required, to

:25:51. > :25:53.ensure we can deliver our ambition of a world class education system in

:25:54. > :26:04.Scotland. APPLAUSE

:26:05. > :26:08.Friends, democratic sovereignty is not a gift to be given or with held

:26:09. > :26:13.at the whim of a Tory Prime Minister. Sovereignty does not

:26:14. > :26:17.belong to Theresa May. It rests First Ladily with the people of

:26:18. > :26:29.Scotland. APPLAUSE

:26:30. > :26:33.And it is people's right and their right alone to exercise it as they

:26:34. > :26:40.choose, through the Government they elect, and the Parliament it serves.

:26:41. > :26:43.The sights of a Tory Prime Minister trampling over the rights of the

:26:44. > :26:47.Scottish people, the right to choose the form of Government they wish to

:26:48. > :26:52.have, is an outrage to every Democrat, yes or no in the land, it

:26:53. > :26:54.will not, it cannot stand as an approach.

:26:55. > :27:04.APPLAUSE .

:27:05. > :27:09.Friends, I share the outrage that every Democrat feels that the action

:27:10. > :27:15.of the Westminster Tory Government, but I say to you, this is a time for

:27:16. > :27:19.cool heads. Cool, clear heads, that must now stand up for Scotland's

:27:20. > :27:23.sovereignty. That is what the choice ahead of us amounts to. The chance

:27:24. > :27:27.to choose our future, to determine what kind of future we want for our

:27:28. > :27:33.children, and young people, and the kind of country we want to hand on,

:27:34. > :27:37.to future generations. That is the straightforward choice, we will be

:27:38. > :27:41.asking Scotland to make. So let us work to persuade our fellow Scots,

:27:42. > :27:46.to choose independence, and achieve the future that all of us want to

:27:47. > :27:51.achieve for our children. Thank you very much.

:27:52. > :28:03.Let's join Brian Taylor, who's with Fiona Hyslop -

:28:04. > :28:09.You have been in discussion with other European nations and other

:28:10. > :28:12.European Governments, do you accept that at the point of there being the

:28:13. > :28:16.referendum under the timetable set out by the First Minister, do you

:28:17. > :28:21.accept that Scotland would be either part of the UK on her way out of the

:28:22. > :28:25.European Union, at that point, out? At the point we are now, there is no

:28:26. > :28:29.indication or wise that the UK is leaving and there are, if we don't

:28:30. > :28:34.do anything, Scotland will be out. So there is a period of time we are

:28:35. > :28:38.not having the referendum now, the referendum is obviously in 18

:28:39. > :28:40.months' time to two years, by which time there will be will be more

:28:41. > :28:45.certainty of other thing, what the shape of the negotiation from the UK

:28:46. > :28:49.is in terms of Brexit but what any transition might be, either for the

:28:50. > :28:52.UK on its own or perhaps for an independent Scotland. You accept

:28:53. > :28:58.that Scotland would be out and going back in, you wouldn't have the idea

:28:59. > :29:00.you had previously of automatic membership being assumed by an

:29:01. > :29:06.independent Scottish state? In terms of what we will be, we will have to

:29:07. > :29:09.have negotiation with the member states and the European Commission,

:29:10. > :29:13.we don't know what situation we might be in in two years' time, that

:29:14. > :29:16.is what the space and time, the dialogue I have been having since

:29:17. > :29:22.June with other European countries was won, to set out what we were

:29:23. > :29:27.trying to do as part of the United Kingdom, they were sympathetic,

:29:28. > :29:31.understand our dilemma, recognised if the UK were to support Scotland

:29:32. > :29:34.we were in a good place, but with the intransigence of the UK

:29:35. > :29:38.Government, we found ourself new a different position. You accept

:29:39. > :29:43.Scotland would be out and you hope back in? You intend back in? Out

:29:44. > :29:47.first? The mechanics of where we will be will come clear once we know

:29:48. > :29:51.what the UK's negotiating position is in terms of Brexit, but as of

:29:52. > :29:55.now, we can anticipate not only will the UK be out of the EU, so would

:29:56. > :29:58.Scotland, so therefore we have to allow ourselves some opportunity to

:29:59. > :30:02.take a different path, and the different path is what we will set

:30:03. > :30:09.out in advance of the referendum. Do you think there would be European

:30:10. > :30:14.widespread European welcome for that or would some be concerned about a

:30:15. > :30:17.member state fragmenting perhaps Spain being an example? We have

:30:18. > :30:21.spoken to a number of country, I spoke to the Spanish over a number

:30:22. > :30:24.of months in different circumstances, with the Spanish

:30:25. > :30:28.ambassador, the previous one, the current one, and also, in terms of

:30:29. > :30:31.other Governments as well. They understand this is a unique

:30:32. > :30:36.situation, there has never been a situation where anybody has left

:30:37. > :30:40.before, so anything should be seen within the context of the UK

:30:41. > :30:45.leaving, that is quite, complex, yes, it is difficult but it is for

:30:46. > :30:48.the UK as a whole, so therefore they understand we are trying to forge a

:30:49. > :30:54.way that is sensible, that is pragmatic, that is pro European in

:30:55. > :30:56.terms of support. But you accept would have to negotiate terms,

:30:57. > :31:01.discuss and negotiate terms with the other member states We have said

:31:02. > :31:04.that previously. What would be the currency Scotland would adopt? We

:31:05. > :31:08.don't know the situation we would be in terms of the Ukraine, in terms of

:31:09. > :31:11.Brexit, the timescale and we will make sure all the information that

:31:12. > :31:14.is required, both for the negotiations and for the economic

:31:15. > :31:17.situation will be set out, in advance for the referendum, most

:31:18. > :31:21.important thing now is Scotland's democracy and our rights to hold

:31:22. > :31:25.that referendum is respected politically and morally by the UK

:31:26. > :31:30.Government and that is why the medium situation has to be about the

:31:31. > :31:33.rights of the Scottish Parliament, to exercise its democratic, it is

:31:34. > :31:38.elected democratic power this week as we go forward to get the powers

:31:39. > :31:45.to allow us to embark what is an 18-two-year job. I will ask this, is

:31:46. > :31:50.it feasible to hold a referendum without a section 30 transfer of

:31:51. > :31:53.powers, unauthorised referendum? It is essential that Theresa May

:31:54. > :31:57.respects the democracy of the Scottish Parliament it would be

:31:58. > :32:01.outrage if the UK Government were not to agree what is an elected

:32:02. > :32:05.position in terms of mandate, it is in our manifesto we were elected on

:32:06. > :32:09.that, it is not about one party or one Government, the Scottish

:32:10. > :32:12.Parliament has to be respected, and Theresa May will be in very

:32:13. > :32:16.dangerous grounds if she does not respect the Scottish Parliament.

:32:17. > :32:19.Thank you very much for joining us here.

:32:20. > :32:22.Delegates passed a resolution yesterday demanding that the UK

:32:23. > :32:26.Government does more to help support the North Sea oil and gas industry.

:32:27. > :32:28.Gillian Martin, the MSP for Aberdeenshire East, said

:32:29. > :32:39."the Treasury simply has not done enough".

:32:40. > :32:46.What was the industry promised last week? They promised a panel of

:32:47. > :32:52.experts, a discussion paper, a talking shop, a kick into the long

:32:53. > :32:58.grass. As the Deputy First Minister pointed out last week, at FAQs, the

:32:59. > :33:06.Scottish oil and gas has been a massive bonus to the UK. Over the

:33:07. > :33:12.life of North Sea oil and gas, over ?330 billion have been generated to

:33:13. > :33:20.the UK Treasury. Brought ashore in people who are now being betrayed.

:33:21. > :33:25.APPLAUSE It is time to get a return on that

:33:26. > :33:32.bonus. Where are the broad shoulders of the UK? Tory minister, energy

:33:33. > :33:37.Minister Greg Clarke is on record as saying, the oil and gas industry is,

:33:38. > :33:41.quote, a huge priority for the UK. Well, Mr Clark and Mr Hammond, prove

:33:42. > :33:51.it. APPLAUSE

:33:52. > :33:58.When is that action going to happen? Today, tomorrow or too late to make

:33:59. > :34:00.any impact? Or, to coin a phrase, is now not the right time? Support the

:34:01. > :34:11.revolution. CHEERING

:34:12. > :34:17.We welcome the fact that latterly there has been a discussion paper

:34:18. > :34:22.and a panel, but operators and supply chain companies have had a

:34:23. > :34:27.tough period. Today, there are still 125,000 jobs still involved in the

:34:28. > :34:29.industry in Scotland. As a government, we are taking forward

:34:30. > :34:37.the energy jobs task force, which has set aside four job events, 3500

:34:38. > :34:42.people affected by redundancy have attended those. We have set up 64

:34:43. > :34:49.new businesses. Scottish enterprise engaged directly with 800 oil and

:34:50. > :34:54.gas companies, via 36 events, providing targeted resilient

:34:55. > :34:56.support. We have helped 1700 individuals through the transition

:34:57. > :35:02.training fund to get training into new jobs, within the industry or

:35:03. > :35:06.outside it. ?12.5 million has been provided for innovation and business

:35:07. > :35:12.resilience funding. 78 innovation projects worth ?16 million, with ?7

:35:13. > :35:15.million Scottish Government funding. I was born and brought up in the

:35:16. > :35:20.north-east and one of the things that became clear to me, living

:35:21. > :35:22.here, the powers to prioritise the industry should not be in the

:35:23. > :35:28.south-east of England. They should be here in Scotland. Because,

:35:29. > :35:33.conference, the situation at the moment is not only untenable, it is

:35:34. > :35:36.outrageous. Every week in Holyrood and Westminster, the Tory benches

:35:37. > :35:41.celebrate the challenges to our industry, which has so long made up

:35:42. > :35:46.for Westminster economic shock. One of our nation's prized industries

:35:47. > :35:50.has not been used to tackle social issues, it has not been used to

:35:51. > :35:54.create a fund for the future. It is being used by UK Government for one

:35:55. > :36:00.thing only, making political points, and that with this clueless -- that

:36:01. > :36:05.is ridiculous. That was some of the debate on oil. Now back to Brian in

:36:06. > :36:10.the conference centre. He has some more guests.

:36:11. > :36:18.I'm joined by three delegates from the party. Thank you, all. We have

:36:19. > :36:24.talked policy that conference. It is independence that is the subject the

:36:25. > :36:29.referendum. Ross Aitchison, why is it referendum required at this

:36:30. > :36:33.stage, and it is only a couple of years since the last one? It is

:36:34. > :36:37.clear that the circumstances have changed substantially since last

:36:38. > :36:42.June's EU referendum. The terms that Scotland voted on our fundamental

:36:43. > :36:48.different to the existing situation. You promised a referendum once in a

:36:49. > :36:52.generation, indeed, once in a lifetime. This is the generation of

:36:53. > :36:57.Brexit and the situation is fundamentally different to 2014. You

:36:58. > :37:01.believe that the nature of political discourse has changed a consequence

:37:02. > :37:10.of Brexit. Absolutely. Lots of things have changed since 2014, not

:37:11. > :37:15.least of which the vowels which were promised to us. Within 48 hours,

:37:16. > :37:20.they were Reinecke Don. But those would say that they were delivered

:37:21. > :37:25.in full. The Smith commission was watered down so much. People who

:37:26. > :37:30.were staunch No supporters came out in force, they were so disgusted

:37:31. > :37:36.with the situation. These people joined the SNP. That is where the

:37:37. > :37:40.surge came from, we went from 20,000 members to 120,000 members. You

:37:41. > :37:46.can't ignore that. The people who voted No voted to stay. I believe

:37:47. > :37:50.you joined the party on the day of the Brexit referendum. Tell me about

:37:51. > :37:55.that. Was on holiday in Jamaica and I arrived back on Friday morning to

:37:56. > :37:59.find I had arrived in Brexit Britain, with a planeload of shocked

:38:00. > :38:04.Jamaicans and visitors. That day, that was my last straw. That

:38:05. > :38:11.country, which sadly as you can see I am from, it is... You are from

:38:12. > :38:15.London. Yes, it's a different planet to the country here in Scotland. We

:38:16. > :38:19.need the right to choose a different destiny. Let them go off on their

:38:20. > :38:26.Brexit island, but we don't want to go there with them. You say the last

:38:27. > :38:28.straw. What prompted that change in your mind? The EU referendum

:38:29. > :38:35.essentially was a referendum based on the frankly racist debate of

:38:36. > :38:37.politics down there against migrants, generally, and

:38:38. > :38:41.Islamophobia. A terrible atmosphere. We don't have the same in Scotland.

:38:42. > :38:47.In Scotland, we talk about welcoming. Our leadership is all

:38:48. > :38:50.about including people from abroad, welcoming their contributions,

:38:51. > :38:54.wanting to recognise their equal citizenship. We had the exact

:38:55. > :39:00.opposite debate during our EU referendum, which is why 67% of

:39:01. > :39:05.people voted to remain. I can see you have been nodding. Absolutely.

:39:06. > :39:13.Scotland is an inclusive country. Is that universally true? I think it is

:39:14. > :39:17.to a large extent. Not absolutely 100%, but what country is? We will

:39:18. > :39:21.always have those who disagree. In terms of the EU workers, we have had

:39:22. > :39:26.that going on for a very long time. This is not something new. They

:39:27. > :39:31.contribute immensely to our economy. They pay their taxes and work so

:39:32. > :39:35.hard. I think they have a right to stay. Isn't it reasonable for the

:39:36. > :39:43.Prime Minister to say that that would be settled once the situation

:39:44. > :39:47.is settled with regard to Britons living in the European Union? I am

:39:48. > :39:53.not convinced by that. I don't think she will keep to it. You want a

:39:54. > :39:57.fully fledged referendum, with section 30 powers transferred to

:39:58. > :40:02.Holyrood, sanctioned and agreed, but is it feasible you could have one

:40:03. > :40:06.that isn't authorised? That is not the situation anybody wants to find

:40:07. > :40:10.themselves in. We went through the previous referendum, getting the

:40:11. > :40:13.Edinburgh agreement. There was mutual understanding as to the

:40:14. > :40:18.terms. I think that is the road we have to try to aim to travel down.

:40:19. > :40:21.The UK Government will talk to the Scottish parliament, clearly after

:40:22. > :40:28.the Scottish Parliament has at its vote this week. Could you do that? I

:40:29. > :40:33.think there has to be some sort of negotiations start. But if the Prime

:40:34. > :40:38.Minister won't talk, if she says she will get back later after Brexit? If

:40:39. > :40:44.she continues to ignore Scotland's voice, she does it at her parole.

:40:45. > :40:52.Every time she speaks, she is adding 5000 votes to the pro-independence

:40:53. > :40:55.camp. To see the evil in Parliament, where Scottish MPs, supposedly

:40:56. > :40:59.equal, can't speak and vote on English matters, but 150 Tory MPs

:41:00. > :41:04.will turn up to Scottish questions to make sure that Scottish MPs can't

:41:05. > :41:07.put real questions to David Mundell, that is the kind of equal

:41:08. > :41:12.partnership you are dealing with. It is democratic travesty. We need

:41:13. > :41:18.independence. You mentioned that if the PM says no, at her peril. What

:41:19. > :41:20.are the sanctions that can be applied? She retains the reserved

:41:21. > :41:26.power over the constitution, or Westminster does. I agree with some

:41:27. > :41:31.of the comments that have been made by the odd Unionist politician. One

:41:32. > :41:34.of them even said it would be impossible, with a democratic

:41:35. > :41:40.mandate from the Scottish on it, for the Westminster government to stand

:41:41. > :41:44.the way. Civitas the vote on Wednesday that matters. Absolutely,

:41:45. > :41:50.and I can't see us not winning that. Best so it is the vote. What if the

:41:51. > :41:55.Prime Minister says no? She is effectively shutting the door to any

:41:56. > :41:59.kind of democratic discussion. We will have to forge ahead, whether

:42:00. > :42:03.she likes it or not. It's inconceivable that the Prime

:42:04. > :42:09.Minister would ignore the vote of the Scottish Parliament, on an issue

:42:10. > :42:14.that is so fundamental. She could say it is a reserved matter. She

:42:15. > :42:17.could, but the Scottish Parliament will vote this week and she will

:42:18. > :42:21.have to come round the table and negotiate. That is the only way

:42:22. > :42:24.forward for the Prime Minister or she heads towards another referendum

:42:25. > :42:28.that she is going to lose. The only way she can win another Scottish

:42:29. > :42:30.referendum is by dealing with the Scottish Government on the matter.

:42:31. > :42:32.Thank you, all three of you. Before the keynote address

:42:33. > :42:34.from the SNP leader, I'm joined once again by Professor

:42:35. > :42:47.Curtice. John, what do the polls suggest

:42:48. > :42:53.about public opinion when it comes to any appetite for a fresh

:42:54. > :42:56.referendum? They certainly indicate there isn't wild enthusiasm. Those

:42:57. > :43:00.polls that have asked people whether or not they think they should be a

:43:01. > :43:04.referendum in the next couple of years or so, before the Brexit

:43:05. > :43:12.negotiations are over, they have ranged between about 46% and 54%

:43:13. > :43:16.saying no, and only about 35% to 41% saying that there should be. So I

:43:17. > :43:21.think that, .1, one of the things that has been going on in this week

:43:22. > :43:25.in truth is Nicola Sturgeon trying to persuade particularly Yes

:43:26. > :43:32.supporters to going slightly earlier than what people thought was a good

:43:33. > :43:35.idea. Equally, the claim on the Unionist side that Scotland is,

:43:36. > :43:41.quote, overwhelmingly, unquote, opposed to a referendum is clearly

:43:42. > :43:46.too strong. Certainly what is also true, as we saw in another pole,

:43:47. > :43:51.when people are asked, should it be during Brexit, long after Brexit or

:43:52. > :43:56.should never happen? Then you discover that the country splits

:43:57. > :44:00.pretty much 50-50. In a sense, a post Brexit but still relatively

:44:01. > :44:03.early referendum is probably where the modal Scottish voter is, and

:44:04. > :44:08.therefore might be the ground for compromise. As it were, certainly

:44:09. > :44:12.Nicola Sturgeon... But virtually all those polling figures were done

:44:13. > :44:17.before she announced on Monday, and I think we are now looking to see

:44:18. > :44:21.whether or not, in the wake of the announcement, she begins to turn

:44:22. > :44:24.party opinion round. That is the crucial point, but each side is

:44:25. > :44:28.trying to swing public opinion. As Graham Campbell was saying, each

:44:29. > :44:34.time the Prime Minister speaks, he was saying that she adds 5000 votes

:44:35. > :44:38.to the Yes side. Each side will have to be careful. I hate to disappoint

:44:39. > :44:42.people but, in the backdrop to all this excitement is an

:44:43. > :44:46.extraordinarily stable position in opinion polls, when it comes to the

:44:47. > :44:54.central issue as to which way people would vote. If you take all of the

:44:55. > :44:58.polls published this year, 53% for No, 47% for Yes, so No are ahead but

:44:59. > :45:02.not by a long way. If you look at the dozen or so polls conducted

:45:03. > :45:11.before June the 21st, the first of last year, it was 53 for No and 47

:45:12. > :45:14.or Yes. Brexit might have changed circumstances but so far it has

:45:15. > :45:23.changed... -- it has failed to change minds. Some people have gone

:45:24. > :45:27.from No to Yes, some the other way, but the problem for the SNP is it

:45:28. > :45:29.looks like there are just not enough people in Scotland who are

:45:30. > :45:33.sufficiently upset about Scotland, along with the UK leaving the

:45:34. > :45:37.European Union, that this will prove fruitful ground upon which to

:45:38. > :45:41.eventually fight the referendum campaign, and I think that is why in

:45:42. > :45:44.the course of the last few days, you have heard all of this discussion

:45:45. > :45:48.about whether Scotland wants to remain under a Tory government

:45:49. > :45:53.trying to impose austerity on Scotland. The SNP are trying to

:45:54. > :45:57.widen the argument beyond simply a question on Brexit. The trouble is,

:45:58. > :46:02.once you start doing that, inevitably questions turn up, as we

:46:03. > :46:05.had with Fiona Hyslop, which currency might an independent

:46:06. > :46:12.Scotland use, for example? There is that crucial growth commission,

:46:13. > :46:18.under the former SNP, and it has still not been published, apparently

:46:19. > :46:22.not even be made into a report, and I think the truth is, if the SNP are

:46:23. > :46:25.wanting to widen the debate, they need to make sure they are prepared

:46:26. > :46:30.for that debate. In effect, on Monday, whenever this referendum is

:46:31. > :46:34.mentioned, Nicola Sturgeon started the referendum campaign and she

:46:35. > :46:39.needs to make sure her side as the argument is not just on Brexit but

:46:40. > :46:43.on the much wider terrain of the independence debate. Just looking at

:46:44. > :46:49.some of other options, before we hear from the SNP leader, there has

:46:50. > :46:56.been talk about one of the delegates saying that Mrs May's coming round

:46:57. > :46:58.the table for some more talks... Just on holding a wildcat

:46:59. > :47:02.referendum, all of the leading lights were putting that at arms

:47:03. > :47:07.length. Yes, but this is an old debate. Those who have been

:47:08. > :47:12.following this in detail for far too long have remembered what papers

:47:13. > :47:15.produced by the first SNP minority administration which said, actually,

:47:16. > :47:20.we think we can hold a legal referendum on independence but we

:47:21. > :47:23.have to be careful how to work it. Paraphrasing, the question that they

:47:24. > :47:28.thought of was, the Scottish Government enter into negotiations

:47:29. > :47:32.with the UK Government with a view to achieving Scottish independence?

:47:33. > :47:36.Their argument was that, because the civil convention means that changing

:47:37. > :47:40.the powers of the Scottish Parliament can only be done with the

:47:41. > :47:42.consent of the parliament, if we are talking about negotiations to change

:47:43. > :47:45.the path of the parliament, that would be legal.

:47:46. > :47:47.Let's cross live to the hall at the Aberdeen Exhibition

:47:48. > :47:49.and Conference Centre, where the SNP leader

:47:50. > :47:58.There is Angus Robertson, the party deputy leader introducing the First

:47:59. > :48:02.Minister, mounting the steps at the Conference centre, to a standing

:48:03. > :48:06.ovation. APPLAUSE

:48:07. > :48:10.Let us hear from the First Minister and SNP leader now, as she gives her

:48:11. > :48:25.key note Spring Conference address to the Conference, in Aberdeen.

:48:26. > :48:56.Conference, I am aware this is not the only important event happening

:48:57. > :49:08.in Scotland today. And no, I'm not talking about Gordon Brown

:49:09. > :49:12.delivering the same speech again. I am, of course, referring to our

:49:13. > :49:20.magnificent rugby team. Let's congratulate them on an outstanding

:49:21. > :49:28.Six Nations performance. APPLAUSE

:49:29. > :49:35.Friends, it is great to be here, in the granite city. To look out at a

:49:36. > :49:41.conference hall packed with so many people, from all walks of life, and

:49:42. > :49:47.from every corner of our country. You reflect the strength and depth

:49:48. > :49:52.of the SNP. You are a reminder that other parties might appeal to one

:49:53. > :49:59.section of our community, or one part of our country, not the SNP. We

:50:00. > :50:01.are a national party. A national party with a truly international

:50:02. > :50:16.list outlook. APPLAUSE

:50:17. > :50:23.Our priority now, and for the generations who come after us, is to

:50:24. > :50:29.build a better Scotland, for everyone who lives here. No matter

:50:30. > :50:36.where you come from. Often... APPLAUSE

:50:37. > :50:46.Often, in these times, I am reminded of our dear friend, the late Bashir,

:50:47. > :50:51.Ahmed: Bashir came to work as a bus driver from Pakistan in 1941. 46

:50:52. > :51:01.years later he became Scotland's first Asian member of our national

:51:02. > :51:07.Parliament. The very fist time he addressed an

:51:08. > :51:11.SNP conference Barbie articulated the simple message... It is not

:51:12. > :51:18.where we come from that is important he said, it is where we are going

:51:19. > :51:26.together. APPLAUSE

:51:27. > :51:31.And today, with the forces of intolerance and xenophobia seemingly

:51:32. > :51:36.on the rise, Bashir's words have never seemed more appropriate. Let

:51:37. > :51:42.us rededicate ourselves today to the spirit of that message. Inclusion,

:51:43. > :51:46.tolerance, diversity. Let's make these the foundation stones of the

:51:47. > :51:58.better Scotland we are seeking to build.

:51:59. > :52:05.APPLAUSE Frends, it is great to see so many

:52:06. > :52:09.of you here today. But I hope you will forgive me, because my speech

:52:10. > :52:10.this afternoon is not really aimed at you.

:52:11. > :52:21.LAUGHTER . Of course, of course I could be

:52:22. > :52:23.going out on a limb here. But I am assuming I already have your

:52:24. > :52:38.support. APPLAUSE

:52:39. > :52:45.I am assuming that you need no persuading that Scotland should not

:52:46. > :52:49.be dragged out of Europe by a Tory Government intent on a disastrous

:52:50. > :53:00.hard Brexit. APPLAUSE

:53:01. > :53:07.And I am guessing, that you are already convinced that Scotland has

:53:08. > :53:07.what it takes to join the family of independent nations.

:53:08. > :53:26.APPLAUSE Well, that's a relief! Relief!

:53:27. > :53:32.Friends, our job is not to talk to each other. It is to reach out to

:53:33. > :53:38.those not persuaded, to put ourselves in their shoes. To

:53:39. > :53:44.understand the hopes, fears, and ambitions of all our fellow citizen,

:53:45. > :53:49.and to do what we can to establish common ground. Always remember

:53:50. > :53:57.Bashir's words. Carry them with you, in your heart. What matters is where

:53:58. > :54:01.we are going together. These words don't just apply to how we treat

:54:02. > :54:08.those who come from other countries. They must apply to how we treat each

:54:09. > :54:13.other, all of us who live here, and call Scotland home. We all want the

:54:14. > :54:19.best for our country. We just have different views on how to achieve

:54:20. > :54:24.it. As Scotland's Government we bear a special responsibility to offer a

:54:25. > :54:31.hand across these differences, to build consensus where we can. So let

:54:32. > :54:37.us resolve, to argue our case, with passion, and commitment, yes. But at

:54:38. > :54:40.all times, with courtesy, understanding, and respect.

:54:41. > :54:57.APPLAUSE In that, as in everything else, it

:54:58. > :55:04.is my job to lead you by example. That is why I speak today, not just

:55:05. > :55:09.as SNP leader, to our party conference, but as the First

:55:10. > :55:17.Minister to all of Scotland. I know that the plan I set out on Monday

:55:18. > :55:22.was music to the ears of SNP member, and independence supporters up and

:55:23. > :55:28.down the country. Let me set out again what that plan is. After the

:55:29. > :55:33.terms of Brexit are clear, but while there is still an opportunity to

:55:34. > :55:38.change course, the people of Scotland will have a choice. There

:55:39. > :56:17.will be an independence referendum. APPLAUSE

:56:18. > :56:25.For I will know that for every one of us who is full of excitement, and

:56:26. > :56:31.anticipation, there will be someone else feeling nervous and anxious,

:56:32. > :56:36.perhaps even resentful. In the last few years it has been one big

:56:37. > :56:41.decision after another. You have been bombarded with statistics,

:56:42. > :56:46.claim, and counter claims. You might have had heated discussion with

:56:47. > :56:53.friends and family. Even though you may feel like we do, that 2014 was a

:56:54. > :56:58.positive and vibrant exercise of democracy, you might not relish

:56:59. > :57:04.going through it all over again. I understand that. So I want you to

:57:05. > :57:11.know they did not reach the decision lightly. Indeed, for months I have

:57:12. > :57:17.strived to find compromise and agreement, with the Prime Minister.

:57:18. > :57:19.Despite our overwhelming vote for remain, the Scottish Government

:57:20. > :57:24.accepted that Scotland within the UK would leave the EU. But that we

:57:25. > :57:29.should seek to retain our place in the single market. We proposed

:57:30. > :57:33.substantial new powers for the Scottish Parliament, short of

:57:34. > :57:39.independence, that would help protect Scotland's interests in a

:57:40. > :57:46.post-Brexit UK. But instead of meeting us half way, or frankly any

:57:47. > :57:50.of the way, Westminster chose to dig its heels in. Our efforts at

:57:51. > :57:55.compromise with the Prime Minister met with a brick wall of

:57:56. > :58:01.intransigence, and do you know, that is a concern that should resonate

:58:02. > :58:05.far beyond Scotland. The Prime Minister's attitude should worry all

:58:06. > :58:12.of us, hoping that negotiations with Europe will not be a disaster.

:58:13. > :58:16.Because, and let me put this bluntly, if she shows the same

:58:17. > :58:21.co-den seven shall be and inflexibility. The same tin ear to

:58:22. > :58:25.other EU countries as she has to Scotland, then the Brexit process

:58:26. > :58:33.will hit the rocks. APPLAUSE

:58:34. > :58:37.-- conzenion. -- condescension.

:58:38. > :58:46.Of course, the outcome. That hard line Brexiteers are agitating for.

:58:47. > :58:50.But it would be in no-one's interests, so as Article 50 is about

:58:51. > :58:55.to be triggered, let me say this to the Prime Minister. Stop putting the

:58:56. > :58:59.interests of the right-wing of your party ahead of the interests of the

:59:00. > :59:17.people of our country. APPLAUSE

:59:18. > :59:25.For me though, the Prime Minister's refusal to bundle an inch meant that

:59:26. > :59:29.I had to make a decision. I could have taken the easy option. I could

:59:30. > :59:34.let Scotland drift through the next two years, hoping for the best but

:59:35. > :59:37.knowing that the worst is far more likely. Waiting For me though, the

:59:38. > :59:40.Prime Minister's refusal to bundle an inch meant that I had to make a

:59:41. > :59:43.decision. I could have taken the easy option. I could let Scotland

:59:44. > :59:45.drift through the next two years, hoping for the best but knowing that

:59:46. > :59:48.the worst is far more likely. Waiting for the chance to say "I

:59:49. > :59:51.told you so." Knowing that by then, it might be too late to avoid the

:59:52. > :59:54.damage of a hard Brexit. Or, I could make a plan now, to put

:59:55. > :00:00.the Scottish people in charge of our own future. I choose to put the

:00:01. > :00:14.APPLAUSE APPLAUSE

:00:15. > :00:21.The fact is, our country stands at a crossroads. The future of the UK

:00:22. > :00:28.looks very different today than it did two years ago. We know change is

:00:29. > :00:35.coming. The only question is, what kind of change? And on that, we are

:00:36. > :00:40.not powerless. We can still decide which path we take. Whatever our

:00:41. > :00:47.different opinions on independence, we can all unite around this simple

:00:48. > :00:49.principle. Scotland's future must be Scotland's choice.

:00:50. > :01:09.APPLAUSE Which brings me to the Prime

:01:10. > :01:14.Minister's statement on Thursday. To stand in the way of a referendum

:01:15. > :01:19.would deny us that choice. It would mean that the path of our country

:01:20. > :01:23.was determined not by us for us. Decided by an increasingly

:01:24. > :01:30.right-wing, exit obsessed Tory government, a government that some

:01:31. > :01:36.predict will be in power now until 2030 and beyond. -- Brexit obsessed.

:01:37. > :01:38.Thanks in no small part to the embarrassing shambles of an

:01:39. > :02:00.opposition that Labour has become. A Tory government dominated by the

:02:01. > :02:05.likes of Boris Johnson and Liam Fox, eluding themselves about rebuilding

:02:06. > :02:13.the Empire and refloating the royal yacht Britannia. It seems they want

:02:14. > :02:19.to go back in time. But it's not just nostalgia for Empire that they

:02:20. > :02:24.are keen on. They clearly long for the days before we had a Scottish

:02:25. > :02:28.parliament. The days when Tory governments could do anything they

:02:29. > :02:31.wanted to Scotland, no matter how often they were rejected by the

:02:32. > :02:37.voters, the days when they could impose the poll-tax, destroyed

:02:38. > :02:41.Scottish industry and deny all demands for constitutional change.

:02:42. > :02:48.The Prime Minister should understand this point and understand it well.

:02:49. > :02:48.Those days are gone and they are not coming back.

:02:49. > :03:25.CHEERING Next week, in line with the mandate

:03:26. > :03:30.secured at last May's election, we will ask the Scottish Parliament to

:03:31. > :03:34.agree that the Scottish people should have the right to choose our

:03:35. > :03:39.own future. We will ask parliament to agree that this choice should be

:03:40. > :03:44.exercised at a time when we know the terms Brexit but before it is too

:03:45. > :03:50.late to take a different path. And we will ask parliament's permission

:03:51. > :03:55.to seek the legal authority that will allow the people of Scotland to

:03:56. > :04:00.have that choice. If a majority in the Scottish Parliament endorses

:04:01. > :04:10.that position, the Prime Minister should be clear about this. At that

:04:11. > :04:15.point, a fair, legal and agreed referendum on a timescale that will

:04:16. > :04:22.allow Scotland and informed choice ceases to be just my proposal or

:04:23. > :04:24.that of the SNP. It becomes the will of the democratically elected

:04:25. > :04:43.parliament of Scotland. CHEERING

:04:44. > :04:51.To stand in defiance of that would be for the Prime Minister to shatter

:04:52. > :04:55.beyond repair any notion of the UK as a respectful partnership of

:04:56. > :05:03.equals. She has time to think again, and I hope she does. If her concern

:05:04. > :05:06.is timing, then within reason I am happy to have that discussion, but

:05:07. > :05:11.let the Prime Minister be in no doubt. The will of our Parliament

:05:12. > :05:26.must and will prevail. CHEERING

:05:27. > :05:36.Of course, the Tories' reluctance to allow Scotland a choice isn't really

:05:37. > :05:40.hard to fathom. They are now terrified of the verdict of the

:05:41. > :05:49.Scottish people. APPLAUSE

:05:50. > :05:52.They know as well as we do that what is at stake in the years ahead is

:05:53. > :05:58.not just our place in Europe, important although that is, what is

:05:59. > :06:03.at stake is the kind of country that we are going to be. With

:06:04. > :06:09.independence, the country we become is up to us, all of us who live

:06:10. > :06:13.here. We can choose to be a compassionate country, with a big

:06:14. > :06:19.heart and a helping hand for those in need. In open country that

:06:20. > :06:22.doesn't pull up the drawbridge and look inwards, but one that

:06:23. > :06:26.encourages the best and brightest from around Europe to make Scotland

:06:27. > :06:42.their home. And not just from the goodness of

:06:43. > :06:46.our hearts, but for reasons of hard-headed self-interest as well.

:06:47. > :06:52.Scotland needs people to want to work here, in our businesses, our

:06:53. > :06:56.universities and public services. Of course, people have concerns about

:06:57. > :07:00.immigration that needs to be addressed. I know that from my own

:07:01. > :07:04.constituency. But, as we decide the kind of country we want to be, we

:07:05. > :07:10.must be clear about the choice on offer. For the current UK

:07:11. > :07:13.Government, ending free movement comes before everything else,

:07:14. > :07:19.including the health of our economy. It is their number one priority.

:07:20. > :07:23.And, make no mistake, for Scotland, the result will be lower living

:07:24. > :07:26.standards and a hit our prosperity. So not just for the stake of our

:07:27. > :07:32.values, but for our economic future as well, it's time to take a

:07:33. > :07:36.different course. It's time to stand against the demonisation of

:07:37. > :07:39.migrants, and to stand up for those who choose to join us in building a

:07:40. > :07:59.better Scotland. Of course, we don't yet know exactly

:08:00. > :08:03.what the Tories want a post-Brexit UK to be like. But there are two

:08:04. > :08:10.recent developments that point the way. Last year, under pressure,

:08:11. > :08:17.David Cameron accepted what was called the Dubs amendment. It

:08:18. > :08:21.committed the UK to providing a safe haven for unaccompanied child

:08:22. > :08:24.refugees, some of the most helpless and vulnerable people on our planet.

:08:25. > :08:31.Last month, the UK Government called a halt to the Dubs scheme. We said

:08:32. > :08:39.that their new approach to refugees was absolutely right. -- they said.

:08:40. > :08:40.Well, I beg to differ. I think it is absolutely wrong. It is inhumane and

:08:41. > :09:03.it must be reversed. The second issue is the status of EU

:09:04. > :09:10.nationals. Men and women who have built lives, families and careers

:09:11. > :09:14.here, people who, overnight, in June last year, lost all certainty about

:09:15. > :09:17.their futures. You know, it is a depressing commentary on the state

:09:18. > :09:23.of British democracy that it took the House of Lords to do the right

:09:24. > :09:28.thing. But fair play to them, they did. They secured an amendment to

:09:29. > :09:33.the Brexit Bill guaranteeing the right of EU citizens to stay in the

:09:34. > :09:39.UK. It is even more depressing that the Westminster government then

:09:40. > :09:43.whipped its MPs in the House of Commons to overturn that guarantee.

:09:44. > :09:46.It is indefensible. You cannot lecture others about politics not

:09:47. > :09:48.being a game when you are using the lives of human beings as pawns.

:09:49. > :10:24.CHEERING Let me make this clear to everyone

:10:25. > :10:28.across our country today. In an independent Scotland, the SNP would

:10:29. > :10:33.guarantee unequivocally the right to stay here for all EU citizens who do

:10:34. > :10:48.us the honour of making our country their home.

:10:49. > :10:53.Compassionate, open-hearted and hard-headed. That's the kind of

:10:54. > :11:00.country I want Scotland to be. We must be resourceful and enterprising

:11:01. > :11:08.as well. No one owes Scotland a living, but we are more than capable

:11:09. > :11:18.of learning our own success. -- earning our own success. In the

:11:19. > :11:24.debate about our future, you, the people of Scotland, deserve to hear

:11:25. > :11:28.us speaking frankly about the challenges facing the Scottish

:11:29. > :11:32.economy, the challenges of independence and the challenges we

:11:33. > :11:37.will face under an austerity obsessed Tory government pursuing a

:11:38. > :11:41.hard Brexit. We should embrace that scrutiny. Opponents of Independence,

:11:42. > :11:47.as is their right, will make their case by highlighting what they see

:11:48. > :11:51.as the difficulties. It will be up to us to demonstrate how these

:11:52. > :11:57.difficulties can be overcome. But, as we do so, let's never, ever

:11:58. > :12:01.forget this. We have the strongest foundations on which to build.

:12:02. > :12:06.Advantages that few nations can match. Unrivalled energy resources,

:12:07. > :12:11.some of the world's best universities, strength in finance

:12:12. > :12:14.and business services, cutting edge expertise in life sciences and

:12:15. > :12:18.advanced manufacturing, a truly world-class food and industry, and

:12:19. > :12:20.the best tourist attractions anywhere in the world.

:12:21. > :12:38.CHEERING Well, almost the best. According to

:12:39. > :12:42.Rough Guide, we are the second best country in the world to visit this

:12:43. > :12:48.year, but we are aiming for the top spot.

:12:49. > :12:59.The point I'm making is this. As we debate our future, let's do so

:13:00. > :13:03.openly and honestly, but let no one, for or against independence, ever

:13:04. > :13:14.seek to rundown Scotland's strengths and our nation's great potential.

:13:15. > :13:25.What we must all do is strive to make our country even better. So,

:13:26. > :13:29.when we look at a fiscal deficit, created an Westminster's watch,

:13:30. > :13:35.let's decide that allowing Westminster to keep making the same

:13:36. > :13:46.mistakes over and over again is not the best way to deal with it.

:13:47. > :13:53.Instead, let us be a country that works out how to build, to grow and

:13:54. > :13:58.innovate our way to a stronger and more sustainable future, in a way

:13:59. > :14:02.that keeps faith with our own values of social justice, a country that

:14:03. > :14:07.makes its own choices, like choosing to invest in public services and a

:14:08. > :14:08.brighter future for our young people, not in a new generation of

:14:09. > :14:26.nuclear weapons. Our growth commission is currently

:14:27. > :14:31.working on a clear plan for Scotland's economic future. The

:14:32. > :14:35.commission will conclude its work over the next few months, and we

:14:36. > :14:40.will then present it outcome for public scrutiny and debate. It will

:14:41. > :14:44.address the challenges that we face in a hard-headed and realistic way,

:14:45. > :14:48.but it will also set out the massive opportunities that we have a

:14:49. > :14:54.country, if we choose to grasp them. You know, since the Brexit vote, I

:14:55. > :14:57.have had loads of messages from people in other parts of the UK

:14:58. > :15:05.asking if they can move to Scotland. LAUGHTER

:15:06. > :15:14.Now, I am sure many of them are joking, but if any of you are

:15:15. > :15:18.listening today, there is a serious point. The UK is about to turn its

:15:19. > :15:22.back on membership of the world's biggest single market. Imagine what

:15:23. > :15:28.will happen if Scotland chooses to stay. We will become a magnet for

:15:29. > :15:39.talent and investment from all across the UK.

:15:40. > :15:51.so let me issue this open invitation today. Scotland isn't full up. If

:15:52. > :15:56.you are as appalled as we are, at the path this Westminster Government

:15:57. > :16:10.is taking, come and join us. APPLAUSE

:16:11. > :16:21.Come... Come here, to live, work, invest, or study. Come to Scotland.

:16:22. > :16:23.And be part of building a modern progressive outward looking

:16:24. > :16:35.compassionate country. APPLAUSE

:16:36. > :16:43.It is down to us, to make the economic case for independence. To

:16:44. > :16:47.answer clearly the questions that people ask and we will, but we

:16:48. > :16:52.should also be clear about this. Those who a Gus for Scotland to stay

:16:53. > :16:57.in the UK, have big economic questions to answer too. We know

:16:58. > :17:02.that down that path lies austerity, cuts and the impact of leaving the

:17:03. > :17:06.single market. The Westminster Government is now even openly

:17:07. > :17:10.threatening a race to the bottom in tax, wages and working conditions.

:17:11. > :17:15.That is no basis for a modern economy. The kind of economy we are

:17:16. > :17:20.seeking to build is founded on a different vision, not a race to the

:17:21. > :17:30.bottom, but investment to lift people up. That...

:17:31. > :17:35.APPLAUSE That is our plan, not just with

:17:36. > :17:39.independence, but in the here and now. Since we took office,

:17:40. > :17:43.Scotland's productivity, so crucial to our economic prospects has grown

:17:44. > :17:50.by almost 10%. Productive in the rest of the UK has grown by just one

:17:51. > :17:54.tenth of one percent. So we have a good record but we have more to do.

:17:55. > :17:59.Key to our success will be digital skill, you know it is estimated if

:18:00. > :18:03.we make better use of cloud technology and big data the benefits

:18:04. > :18:08.to our economy could be over ?5 billion a year.

:18:09. > :18:13.Recent studies estimate we need more than 12,000 new workers with digital

:18:14. > :18:18.skills every year. And yet only a quarter of businesses report they

:18:19. > :18:21.are doing anything at all to develop the technology skills of that

:18:22. > :18:24.current workforces, we need to change that, Scotland can't afford

:18:25. > :18:30.to lose out on the digital revolution. So I can announce today

:18:31. > :18:34.we will establish a new three year ?36 million support fund, to

:18:35. > :18:38.immediate meet the up front cost of digital skills training. Helping

:18:39. > :18:40.businesses to invest in staff and build our country's future.

:18:41. > :18:57.APPLAUSE A strong economy is the basis for

:18:58. > :19:01.strong public services. In a few weeks' time people across the

:19:02. > :19:06.country will make the upon who should run local service, the Tories

:19:07. > :19:09.have based their entire campaign for the council elections on denying the

:19:10. > :19:14.people of Scotland the right the choose our own future. Our campaign

:19:15. > :19:22.is all about improving Scotland's communities.

:19:23. > :19:32.APPLAUSE And here we have a very clear choice

:19:33. > :19:35.too. Last month our budget invested in local service, the Tories voted

:19:36. > :19:41.against that budget, because it didn't deliver a tax cut for the

:19:42. > :19:53.highest earners. Same old Tories. Tax cuts for the richest, and just

:19:54. > :19:58.cuts for the rest. So my... My message today is clear. Don't let

:19:59. > :20:01.the Tories get their hands on your local service, on May 4th vote SNP.

:20:02. > :20:13.APPLAUSE APPLAUSE

:20:14. > :20:19.We work to build a better Scotland every single day, in May as well as

:20:20. > :20:24.contesting these council elections, we will mark ten years of our SNP

:20:25. > :20:29.Government. I am proud of the work we have done, but I know we have

:20:30. > :20:34.much, much more to do. Today, I want to thank everyone up and down the

:20:35. > :20:38.country who works in public service, I want to thank particularly those

:20:39. > :20:48.who work in our National Health Service.

:20:49. > :20:52.APPLAUSE And today, there are more people

:20:53. > :20:57.working in our health service than ever before. You know, the

:20:58. > :21:01.additional staff employed since we took office would fill this

:21:02. > :21:10.auditorium six times over. APPLAUSE

:21:11. > :21:14.And that is necessary, with populations getting older, pressures

:21:15. > :21:20.on Health Services across the world, are intense. Nowhere perhaps do we

:21:21. > :21:27.see that more clearlily than in our A service, but there we see the

:21:28. > :21:31.commitment of our NHS professionals. In Scotland, 90.8% of patients are

:21:32. > :21:36.seen within the four hour haar get. That is still not as good as we want

:21:37. > :21:47.it to be. But it is better by a significant distance than any other

:21:48. > :21:53.part of the UK. In England. ... In England the figure is just 77.6%.

:21:54. > :21:55.More than 13 points behind Scotland. Perhaps someone should have informed

:21:56. > :22:00.the Prime Minister of that fact before she had the brass neck to

:22:01. > :22:10.lecture us about governance. APPLAUSE

:22:11. > :22:19.But we have more to do. One of the challenges that our NHS faces is the

:22:20. > :22:22.increasing number of people seeking support from mental Health Service,

:22:23. > :22:25.actually that is is a welcome development. It show that's the

:22:26. > :22:30.stigma that stopped people asking for help in years gone by is now

:22:31. > :22:34.fading, but it places an obligation on us to invest more in services to

:22:35. > :22:38.meet that need. Over the next few weeks we will publish our new ten

:22:39. > :22:42.year mental health strategy. That strategy will know Cups not just on

:22:43. > :22:46.traditional mental Health Service, it will look at what we immediate to

:22:47. > :22:50.do across the NHS and in wider society too.

:22:51. > :22:53.For example, we know that GP surgeries are and A services are

:22:54. > :22:58.often the front line for mental health. And outside the NHS, we know

:22:59. > :23:02.that too many who end up in our prisons, and our police cells, have

:23:03. > :23:08.mental health issues that go untreated. We want to change that.

:23:09. > :23:14.So let me outline today just some the action we will take. We will

:23:15. > :23:17.increase the mental health workforce, giving access to

:23:18. > :23:21.dedicated mental health professionals, to all of our A

:23:22. > :23:26.departments 24 hours a day, to all of our GP practises, to every

:23:27. > :23:31.custody suite in every police station and to our prisons. In total

:23:32. > :23:37.we will increase the budget by ?35 million over the next five years, to

:23:38. > :23:41.support the employment of 800 additional mental health workers in

:23:42. > :23:42.our hospitals, GP surgeries, prisons and police stations.

:23:43. > :23:59.APPLAUSE Providing health care to those who

:24:00. > :24:04.need it is one of our most important responsibilities. But I have made

:24:05. > :24:08.clear that the defining mission of our Government is education. I

:24:09. > :24:13.believe Scotland as a country has the right to choose our own future.

:24:14. > :24:17.But we must also make sure that the people who live here have the means

:24:18. > :24:20.and opportunity to make choices about their own lives. That means

:24:21. > :24:25.building a country where every child can make the most of their talents.

:24:26. > :24:31.We are determined to close the attainment gap in our schools. But

:24:32. > :24:36.we know that life chances are far too often determined before a child

:24:37. > :24:39.even starts school. Doubling the provision of high quality

:24:40. > :24:45.state-funded childcare as we intend to do in this Parliament, is

:24:46. > :24:50.therefore a key part of our plans. Rightly...

:24:51. > :24:55.APPLAUSE Rightly, when we talk about the

:24:56. > :24:59.childcare revolution, we focus on the benefits for children, and

:25:00. > :25:03.parents. But there is another benefit. Delivering our pledge will

:25:04. > :25:08.involve the recruitment of thousands more people to work in our nursery,

:25:09. > :25:13.we need to demonstrate how much we value this work. I am very proud of

:25:14. > :25:17.the steps our Government has already taken, to extend payment of the

:25:18. > :25:21.living wage. We have led by exam in the public sector, and we have

:25:22. > :25:25.encouraged businesses to see the benefit, not just for staff but for

:25:26. > :25:28.their bottom line. I can confirm today we intend to apply that

:25:29. > :25:35.approach to our expansion of childcare. In public sector

:25:36. > :25:41.nurseries, staff already receive the living wage. But there are currently

:25:42. > :25:45.around 1,000 private nurseries, helping to deliver our free

:25:46. > :25:51.childcare policy and currently round 80% of the childcare staff who work

:25:52. > :25:56.in them don't earn the living wage. That is 8,000 people in total. There

:25:57. > :26:00.are few more important jobs than caring for our youngest children. So

:26:01. > :26:06.I can announce today that by the end of this Parliament, we will invest

:26:07. > :26:11.?50 million to ensure that all staff, working in private nurseries,

:26:12. > :26:14.delivering our childcare pledge, are paid the real living wage.

:26:15. > :26:30.APPLAUSE Friends, we can do all these things

:26:31. > :26:35.to improve the lives of the people of Scotland, because we are in

:26:36. > :26:39.Government. And it is a privilege to serve. That privilege to serve is

:26:40. > :26:44.something we should never take for granted. We must earn and reearn the

:26:45. > :26:49.trust of the people each and every day. The opportunity to serve our

:26:50. > :26:54.country in Government was something that past generations of SNP members

:26:55. > :26:59.could only dream about. For it is down to their efforts that I stand

:27:00. > :27:03.here before you, as First Minister. When the story of our party and of

:27:04. > :27:08.Scotland's independence is written, it will be those who worked so hard

:27:09. > :27:10.against seemingly impossible odds who will take centre stage.

:27:11. > :27:22.APPLAUSE .

:27:23. > :27:32.And there is little doubt that one person and one date will stand out.

:27:33. > :27:43.Winning Ewing, 1967. -- Winnie.

:27:44. > :27:52.Exactly 50 years ago, this year, Winnie won the Hamilton by-election,

:27:53. > :27:55.and made this famous declaration. Stop the world, Scotland wants to

:27:56. > :28:08.get on. APPLAUSE

:28:09. > :28:16.Let those words resonate today. We are a European, international list

:28:17. > :28:20.party, leading a European international list country. We will

:28:21. > :28:26.make sure that our voice is heard here at home and we will stand up

:28:27. > :28:32.for Scotland's values abroad. And one of those values is self

:28:33. > :28:40.determination. An unshakeable... APPLAUSE

:28:41. > :28:44.An unshakeable belief in the sovereign right of the people of

:28:45. > :28:49.Scotland, to determine our own future. Last week, I had the very

:28:50. > :28:55.sad honour of speaking at a memorial service for one of the greatest

:28:56. > :28:59.advocates of that principle. The late canon Kenyon Wright. When he

:29:00. > :29:04.chaired the convention he posed this question of the then Tory

:29:05. > :29:08.Government's opposition to devolution. What happened, he asked,

:29:09. > :29:16.if the other voice we know so well responds by saying we say no, and we

:29:17. > :29:20.are the state. His answer to that question, so relevant again today

:29:21. > :29:22.was this. Well, we say yes and we are the people.

:29:23. > :30:02.APPLAUSE Friends, as we go forward, we must

:30:03. > :30:06.work to win the support of the people in the communities we serve.

:30:07. > :30:11.We must always work to build a better Scotland for everyone who

:30:12. > :30:16.lives here. We must stand up to our country and always trust the people.

:30:17. > :30:21.As we an poach this crossroads in our national life, let us resolve to

:30:22. > :30:27.give Scotland a choice. Choice. Let this message ring out today.

:30:28. > :30:31.Scotland's future will be in Scotland's hands. Thank you very

:30:32. > :30:44.much. APPLAUSE

:30:45. > :30:51.The SNP leader and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, taking the applause

:30:52. > :30:55.after her spring conference speech in Aberdeen, a national party with a

:30:56. > :30:59.truly internationalist outlook, she said, appealing to those outside the

:31:00. > :31:02.hall who might be resentful about another referendum, but she said one

:31:03. > :31:08.would happen, and the vote in parliament next week comes the will

:31:09. > :31:12.of the Parliament of Scotland. She focused on being pro-immigration,

:31:13. > :31:15.saying, come to Scotland, but she recognised people would have

:31:16. > :31:19.concerns and she said it was useful for economic reasons. She said that

:31:20. > :31:27.Scotland's future is in Scotland's hands. John Curtice, Jerry Fisher,

:31:28. > :31:30.one of the well-known delegates. John, your reaction. The crucial

:31:31. > :31:36.message was Nicola Sturgeon trying again to persuade the people of

:31:37. > :31:39.Scotland that indeed the country should have another referendum on

:31:40. > :31:43.independence, and in particular she was trying to come up against that

:31:44. > :31:48.charge from the Prime Minister that the SNP have tunnel vision and say,

:31:49. > :31:51.no, we are offering choice. You heard the word choice time after

:31:52. > :31:57.time. She is trying to say, look, we are willing to put the country's

:31:58. > :32:01.future in your hands, unlike the Prime Minister, and hoping to win

:32:02. > :32:05.the moral argument. At the same time, we began to see the developer

:32:06. > :32:10.of the SNP case for independence. Strong passages about immigration,

:32:11. > :32:13.perhaps quite bold, because the polling evidence would suggest quite

:32:14. > :32:18.a lot of people are still concerned about immigration, but a crucial

:32:19. > :32:21.passage in which she acknowledged that making the economic case for

:32:22. > :32:25.independence would be important and might not be easy. I think that if

:32:26. > :32:29.the other aspect of the SNP arguments we need to look forward

:32:30. > :32:34.to. Thank you for that. That brings an end to live coverage of the SNP

:32:35. > :32:38.conference, and the end of the four-week spring party conference

:32:39. > :32:39.season. There is more on the Sunday politics tomorrow at 11am. From all

:32:40. > :32:46.of us, goodbye for now. Scotland is coming out

:32:47. > :32:50.of the European Union