FIRST Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said that the SNP is giving Scottish people hope for a better future, claiming that the “shambles” of Brexit has made the case for independence more compelling than ever.
Speaking ahead of the SNP’s annual conference, which kicks off in Glasgow today, SNP leader Sturgeon said Scotland deserved more than “the despair, incompetence and chaos of Westminster”.
The SNP conference will set out why the full powers of independence are essential to fulfil Scotland’s potential for both this and future generations, she added.
She said: “Thousands of delegates will gather in Glasgow this week as the SNP sets out how we are giving hope to people across the country – both through our actions in government and our vision for an independent Scotland.
“At this most crucial time in the UK’s negotiations on its future relations with the EU, Labour and the Tories have fallen apart into bitter faction-fighting.
“The people of Scotland deserve better than the despair, incompetence and chaos of Westminster – and the SNP is offering a clear message of hope.”
She claimed that the SNP, which was first elected to power in the 2007 Scottish Parliamentary elections, was building “a fairer and more prosperous Scotland” while in government, “protecting the most vulnerable in society, making the tax system fairer and investing in our NHS and other vital public services”.
She highlighted key policies – such as the “radical” extension of free care, under which the Scottish Government has said it is committed increasing early years learning and childcare to 1140 hours a year by 2020, almost doubling the current entitlement.
Sturgeon also claimed that the Scottish Government was also taking “world leading action to tackle climate change, building a new national investment bank and delivering record numbers of affordable homes”.
“The shambles of Brexit makes the case for independence more compelling than ever – with Westminster ignoring Scotland’s voice and interests and undermining devolution with a power grab on the Scottish Parliament,” she added.
“Over the next few days, the SNP will be setting out further action to help with the cost of living, improve the NHS and boost jobs and wages and we will be demonstrating how the power of independence – taking decisions in Scotland rather than at Westminster – will lead to a better country for this and future generations.”
The three-day conference, which is being held at the SECC in Glasgow, is the 84th annual event, with the First Minister set to deliver her speech on Tuesday.
In September this year the 125,000-strong SNP membership overtook the Conservatives for the first time, pushing the governing party into third place in terms of membership in the UK.
The Scottish Government also announced today that it will establish an Infrastructure Commission to advise on which projects should be at the heart of the £7 billion national infrastructure mission, outlined by the First Minister in the Programme for Government in September.
Its establishment was a key recommendation of the Sustainable Growth Commission.
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