What are past glories, what are old stories, if we cannot build a future fit for our children?
by Conference
What a year 2026 has been!
A year that Glasgow once again played host to an outstanding Commonwealth Games
When our world-class athletes competed under the saltire.
A year when the Tartan Army conquered North America
The world took to Scotland.
And I’m not surprised that we are making so many new friends.
Scotland has so much to offer – and the world knows it.
Edinburgh’s flourishing international festivals
Universities that draw students from around the world
Tourists discovering our beautiful country
And investment flowing in from all corners of the globe.
Friends,
Even on our toughest days
Even in our moments of greatest self-doubt
We should always see ourselves as others see us.
A nation that is loved, admired and respected the world over.
Conference,
It’s been a pretty special year for the SNP as well.
We’ve been on quite the journey together.
When I became leader, I asked you to trust me
To let me do things my way.
And you have trusted me.
I said to you that by delivering on people’s priorities, we would win a hearing from them on Scotland’s future
And together, we have done exactly that.
Friends, our opponents might not like it
But the SNP didn’t just win on May the 7th.
We knocked it out of the park.
Your effort this year was truly phenomenal.
A doorstep campaign that spoke to more voters than any time since 2014.
A digital campaign that ran rings around our opponents
And look what we achieved
A fifth consecutive SNP victory
More seats than the Tories, Labour, Liberals and Reform combined
The biggest pro-independence majority ever
History made
Once again:
Scotland’s National Party is Scotland’s party of government
We gained support in communities the length and breadth of Scotland.
And I really do mean the length and breadth.
Because even after five election victories, we are still breaking new ground
For seventy-five long years, Shetland was a Liberal fortress.
Not any more.
Doorstep by doorstep, Hannah Mary Goodlad won Shetland for the SNP
And joining Hannah Mary are many fantastic new voices for our movement.
Laura Mitchell – in Moray – fighting the corner for Scotland’s iconic whisky industry
Jack Middleton - a fresh, energetic voice for the North East
And Zen Ghani – who won his Glasgow seat so comprehensively the Labour leader he beat will spend the rest of his life recovering in the House of Lords.
In every part of Scotland, the SNP is ready
Ready to move Scotland forward.
And be in no doubt
Ready to move Scotland forward to independence.
Friends,
Out on the doors this year, we all heard directly from people about the difference SNP policies are making to their lives.
Kids kept out of poverty thanks to our Scottish Child Payment
People going to university thanks to free tuition
A childcare revolution
Cheaper trains and buses
An affordable housing record unmatched in the UK
Tens of thousands more NHS operations
GP walk-in centres opening everywhere you look
The best cost of living package anywhere in these islands
Delegates, each and every day the SNP are making people’s lives better
That’s what you get when you vote SNP
Conference,
Because we won the election – and because we won the trust of people in Scotland – we can now do two things
We can improve people’s lives here and now.
And we are.
And we can build the best possible future by delivering Scottish independence.
Make no mistake, if we had lost the election this year – if we were out of power – then the independence cause would have been set back for decades.
That’s why our opponents threw absolutely everything at us.
But we refused to be blown off course
And we stayed true to our values, our beliefs and our founding mission.
Now, our opponents are becoming ever more desperate
Ever more personal
At times, ever more ludicrous.
That is because they can see what everyone else can see
Friends, we are winning.
One by one, the stars are aligning in our favour.
In Holyrood – the Westminster parties are weaker than they have ever been.
In Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast – every First Minister now supports our nations’ right to self-determination.
In Westminster – Unionists are united in their panic.
You might say there’s panic on the streets of London
I hear there’s panic on the streets of Manchester too!
Support for independence is now leading in poll after poll.
And this morning, support for independence stands at 54%
Delegates, 2026 has been a turning point in Scotland’s journey towards statehood
And there is no turning back
The SNP is making the weather
And the wind is now firmly in the sails of Scotland’s independence movement.
Friends
We are winning the argument
We are winning, because of one simple truth
Scotland is ready to be independent.
Having our own Parliament – and having our own government – has helped us to define who we are as a nation.
It’s more than just the policy choices that we make
It’s the values that we adopt
And the principles that we stand by.
Ours is a land of such wonderful diversity.
No matter where you were born, who you worship, or who you love – all of us have a contribution to make to Scotland’s story.
So we start by making clear to every single person who chooses to live in Scotland…
You are all welcome here.
The forces of division and hatred in our society are real.
And we must unite to face them down.
When it comes to building a cohesive society, words are important – but so is action.
So we will act.
The best way to combat the rise of the racists is in the communities of Scotland on the ground
So I can announce today that we will fund the community groups
The people who are the very best of us
Who are doing the hard yards to build bridges and break down barriers
We will back them with a new three-year £30 million Scotland Together Fund
To give them the tools they need to push back the tide of racism in Scotland
Words are not enough
Scotland belongs to all who live here
And the SNP will always fight the forces of the far right
Delegates,
Everyone who lives here deserves to live in safety and be respected.
I have been appalled at the creeping normalisation of misogynistic behaviour in our society.
It is one of the key drivers behind violence against women and girls
It is unconscionable that in 2026 such violence still pervades.
I am truly ashamed of that.
We saw a visible reminder of that just this week when so many women turned out in Glasgow to Reclaim the Night.
I know that women are angry
They are right to be angry.
And I know I must show personal leadership.
So my Government will bring forward a Bill to make harassment and abuse based on misogyny a specific criminal offence.
And we will do so before the Summer Recess.
It will recognise misogyny as a distinct form of prejudice and abuse.
We will not accept misogyny.
It is completely deplorable
And it has no place in the Scotland we choose.
Conference, our education system also has a huge role to play in this effort.
I said that every school will educate boys and young men about the dangers and risks of misogyny.
Those were my words
Now I will act
Before the end of the school year, we will launch a new £1 million Respect Fund
Giving every school the resources they need to tackle misogyny
Together we will reject sexism
Together we will embrace equality throughout Scotland’s schools.
Conference, changing our culture starts with men changing their behaviours.
We will use all the tools at our disposal
Including the power of sport and our sporting heroes.
I can announce today a new partnership that will expand the groundbreaking “Don’t be That Guy” campaign.
This partnership will bring together high-profile sportsmen from football, rugby, cycling, swimming, athletics, golf and tennis
Positive role models.
Challenging head-on the harmful behaviours and cultural norms that our boys and young men are seeing in life – and online.
The behaviour of men must change
I say enough is enough
Delegates
This party is a party that is about changing our country.
Tackling tough issues.
Facing what must be faced.
The UK is one of the most unequal countries in the developed world.
And that means people cannot weather the UK’s constant cost of living crises.
The SNP have introduced help with household budgets
A level of help unmatched in the rest of the UK.
Free prescriptions and eye tests
Lower council tax bills
The Scottish Child Payment
Free tuition
The baby box
And peak rail fares abolished for good.
But I am determined to go further.
Everybody over 60 and under 22 can already travel on the bus for free.
That’s seen over 300 million free bus journeys by young people alone
Last term, before the election, we capped bus fares in the Highlands and Islands at £2
At the election, I promised to extend it – starting with the West of Scotland.
And we’ve delivered that.
But conference, today we’re not in the Highlands.
And we’re not in the West of Scotland.
We’re in Aberdeen
This is a region that has felt real economic pain
From Peterhead to Portlethen, from Turriff to Torry
The cost of living is biting here just as elsewhere.
So I can announce that from April, bus fares in Aberdeen and the North East will be capped at just £2.
But friends, cheaper bus travel is only one part of the story
We need more buses
And we need more frequent buses.
It’s good for commuters
And it’s good for the climate.
I can therefore announce today that by the end of this parliament, through franchising and regulation, the SNP will bring the bus network back into public control.
Friends, I think every day of what more I can do to help the people we serve.
That means ensuring our public services are fit for the future.
We are making real progress
But make no mistake
The status quo is not good enough
NHS waiting lists must come down further
Education must continue to improve
Social care must better meet people’s needs
Working with frontline staff and trade unions
We will make the change people want
We will make the change people need
Our communities will be empowered.
Our public services will be renewed by an SNP Government.
Conference,
Every day we are in government, we put our values into action.
We know the kind of Scotland we want to live in.
And we know that, as always, Westminster just doesn’t get Scotland.
They seem fixated on harking back to the past
But conference, as has often been said, nostalgia for the past is not a strategy for the future.
We’ll leave Westminster to the past
The SNP are building a Scotland for the world of today and the hopes of tomorrow.
We in this hall know that the case for independence is undeniable
More and more people in Scotland now agree with us.
With our election landslide this year, we have got ourselves into a fantastically strong position
And from that strong position, we are going to step up a gear.
This weekend we launch a new campaign to reach those yet to be convinced of the case for independence.
It’s called Choose Scotland
And it will be the most sophisticated campaign that we have ever undertaken
We know the people we need to reach
And we know how to reach them
Delegates, for those who consistently underestimate the determination and the commitment of SNP members, let me reassure them:
This campaign is backed by our six-figure war chest
It will be backed by our enthusiasm and energy
Because we are the party of Scottish independence
Our opponents may not want to admit it
But the referendum campaign on Scottish independence has already begun
Friends,
Choose Scotland will offer hope
But it will also offer ambition.
Some think we should just be like Manchester.
Well I’m afraid I disagree
Scotland is no city
We are no region
We are a nation
And soon we will be an independent nation
If ever there was a time where people were looking for hope and ambition, it is now
When we look at all the thriving independent nations around us – we get a glimpse of what Scotland can be.
The real excitement of independence is that it allows us to face the future not with one hand tied behind our backs.
But with open arms
Scotland has economic strengths that many countries could only dream of
Our energy sector
Our creative industries
Our thriving rural economy
Financial services
Life sciences
World-leading universities and colleges
Friends we have all we need to grow our economy and create a successful country
We just need the powers of independence to build it.
The powers over immigration
Trade
Energy policy that works for Scotland
All designed to bring down costs for everybody
All designed to unleash the potential of businesses large and small.
That is the Scotland I choose.
Delegates
With a stronger economy, we can choose to invest in the wellbeing, the dignity and the security of all of our citizens.
We can build a Scotland where every single child gets the best start in life.
Ending child poverty is a moral imperative
But also the greatest investment we can make in Scotland’s future success.
That is the Scotland I choose
And friends,
We can choose to build a Scotland where every older person can enjoy a life of dignity and security.
The UK’s abolition of the triple lock is a policy of economic despair.
They used to say things can only get better
Now they are telling us loud and clear that things can only get worse.
Because a prosperous country can pay a decent pension.
When you look beyond our shores, the problem with the UK state pension is not that it is too high.
The problem is that it is too low.
An independent Scotland – with all of our resources at our disposal – can afford to offer everybody dignity in older age.
And we will.
That is the Scotland I choose
And friends
We do not need to forever bear the scars of Brexit
With each passing day, the damage of that decision – one which Scotland wanted no part of – becomes ever more stark.
During this cost of living crisis, countries across the European Union are able to make decisive interventions to support their citizens.
Meanwhile, Britain has boxed itself into a corner.
Well we don’t have to stay trapped inside Brexit Britain.
For our prosperity
For our security
We choose something better
Scotland – where we belong – back at the heart of Europe.
That is the Scotland I choose
And friends,
Let Scotland’s voice be heard too on the world stage.
As a nation, we’ve got a lot to offer
And in an uncertain world, it is more important than ever that we have our say.
And standing shoulder to shoulder in solidarity for as long as it takes with the people of Ukraine
Standing unequivocally for a two-state solution in the Middle East
And peace and justice for the Palestinian people
A voice for peace
A friend to be relied on.
That is the nation Scotland can be
That is the Scotland I choose.
And conference
In this uncertain world, what is certain is that the UK is failing to keep Scotland secure.
Nuclear weapons have always been an obscenity.
But in the world of today – a world of hybrid warfare, of drones, of sabotage, of cyber attacks –
Nuclear weapons have never been so obsolete.
The UK has the means to kill millions of people in minutes.
Yet Scotland’s vast coastline is left dangerously exposed.
That is a choice no Scottish leader would ever ever make
The UK’s focus is on projecting power
My focus is on protecting people
That’s the real security that Scotland needs in the twenty-first century.
From being at the heart of Europe.
From being an international partner for peace
That is the Scotland I choose
Delegates,
The UK that people voted for in 2014 is no more.
Pensions, Defence, EU membership
Back then, people were told that these were the biggest arguments against independence
But now, pensions, defence and EU membership have become some of the strongest arguments for independence.
Conference, it’s no wonder people are looking for a better way.
For centuries, people in the Celtic nations have been told that we were not good enough
Our languages were derided
Our cultures suppressed
Our histories rewritten
That idea – that we’re not good enough – runs deep in our collective memory
It cannot be undone overnight.
But friends, be in no doubt.
Self-confidence is growing.
More and more people in Scotland can see the evidence all around them
We are more than good enough
We are more than good enough to be independent country
When I stood on a stage recently with pro-independence leaders from Wales and Ireland, it certainly upset some of our opponents.
From their point of view, they are right to be worried.
Watching us pledge to work together…
….and seeing the love and respect we feel for each other’s nations…
…never again can they portray us as separatists.
Because the truth is – and always has been – this:
Independence is not about walking away from each other.
Independence is about walking beside each other
As equals
As internationalists
Shoulder to shoulder
Facing together the great challenges of our age.
That is the future – and that is the Scotland – I choose
Our nearest neighbours will always be our closest friends and our strongest allies.
I will always want the very best for the people living in England, Wales and across Ireland.
But friends, in the long arc of history, nothing is static.
And those that try to hold on to the past fail to grasp the opportunities of the future.
In this period of history, the nations of the United Kingdom are evolving into a new relationship.
That is something to welcome
Something to celebrate.
Because it opens the door to genuine cooperation between the peoples of these islands.
United – as friends
United – as equals
United – as independent nation states
That is the big picture – the relations of states on the world stage.
And that matters.
But in truth, it is not what motivates my heart.
I have told you today that I choose Scotland; that I choose Independence.
But I also want to tell you why, in my heart, I believe that.
Why it is so important to me.
Why I am determined to deliver independence for Scotland.
The reason sits here amongst us.
You see friends I am not just the First Minster
I am a father.
And with us here today is my youngest son, Matthew.
My greatest task is to leave Scotland a better place – the best place it can be – for him.
Each of us here has their own emotional connection to our country’s cause.
Each of us has their own motivation.
Matthew is mine.
He is on the cusp of adulthood.
Nothing is more important to me than building a nation on the cusp of statehood into the country I know it can be.
For my son
Why?
Because friends, what are past glories – what are old stories – if we cannot build a future fit for our children?
We do not build the future on nostalgia – for what has gone before.
We build the future on the dreams of those who come next.
I choose independence because no one – no one – will ever do a better job for Scotland than the people who love our country
The people who live here
Who work here
Who choose to raise their families here.
That is what is in my heart.
Families like those I saw earlier this week, cheering the Scotland women’s football team to victory.
Families, celebrating our culture, our traditional music, as my son and I have done for years at the Music Festival in Tiree.
No fragile bravado as in days of old
But the quiet confidence of a nation ever more comfortable in its own skin.
Ever more confident in its abilities.
Ever more ambitious in its aspirations.
And friends, that – as much as anything else – is why I say:
Scotland is ready for independence
And our independence is very close.
Just as the past is a foreign country, the future is an undiscovered one.
The mistake we might make is to convince ourselves that we must forever bear the ills of today for no other reason than fear of the unknown tomorrow.
For a tomorrow built by our own hands – built with our own values – is never to be feared.
Rather, it is a tomorrow that it is full of hope and possibility.
All of us, as we approach moments of change, of transition, can doubt ourselves.
But it is only by being ourselves that we truly flourish, that we can grow.
Friends, this land will not lay still
For its people are restless once more
Let us seize this moment
Let us walk together
And face the future with confidence.
Let us choose Scotland
Let us choose independence