The Scottish National Party is holding its conference at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre
SNP leader and Scotland's first minister John Swinney has been speaking to party delegates
The first minister has reflected on July's general election, saying it was an "incredibly tough night for the SNP"
He has also emphasised how the Scottish government is working “harder and smarter” to deliver in the face of spending cuts
Mr Swinney has said his priorities are: ending child poverty, reaching net-zero targets, delivering strong public services and boosting the economy
That draws our live coverage of John Swinney's speech at the SNP conference to a close.
Today's editor was Claire Diamond. The writers were Craig Hutchison and Jonathan Geddes.
Thanks for joining us.
Here's a recap of the major points from John Swinney's keynote speech:
Swinney: It falls on SNP to awaken Scottish sense of optimism
John Swinney told the SNP conference that it was up to the party to '"awaken" a sense of optimism among Scots.
The first minister said that doing so would help persuade people that a "better future" would be possible through independence.
Reaction from other political parties to the first minister's speech has started coming in - and unsurprisingly they are unimpressed.
Scottish Conservatives chairman Craig Hoy said it was a "desperate attempt to blame anyone but the SNP" and that it "lacked any sort of substance".
Scottish Labour Deputy Leader Jackie Baillie MSP accused the SNP of "continuing to dodge responsibility" for its record in government, saying it "was a copy-paste speech from a First Minister out-of-ideas and more focussed on holding together his divided party than facing up to the challenges Scots face."
Alex Cole-Hamilton, the leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, said the speech showed the first minister would "rather keep the focus on breaking up the UK as the solution to all of Scotland's ills" instead of addressing issues such as NHS waiting times and violence in schools.
The first minister has again returned to his early days in the party, saying that he “didn’t really know what [he] was getting [him]self into.”
He strikes another personal note, mentioning making friends at his first branch meeting, many of whom who knew they would not live to see Scotland become independent.
“They have passed on the torch to us,” says the first minister, before saying that Scotland has grown in confidence in recent years.
He concludes his speech by saying the country “has got what it takes” and that the future would be better “if it were created by us – the people of Scotland.”
Andrew Kerr
BBC Scotland political correspondent
The yearning for independence is the reason the delegates are here on a Sunday afternoon.
John Swinney shares that burning passion - and he wants to evangelise on the issue.
His aim is to make independence inter-twine with the issues that concern people - such as the cost of living crisis.
It’s made clear that independence should not be regarded as a value-added extra - but “urgent and essential”.
“A better future is possible”, he declared - and the crowd cheer enthusiastically.
Lynsey Bews
BBC Scotland chief political correspondent
After the general election, Mr Swinney spoke about failing to convince the public of the urgency of independence.
Today, he told members that his leadership would be “about earning the right to be heard - by delivering on the public’s priorities”.
The party would have to campaign on an independence platform “deeply intertwined” with people’s everyday day concerns, he said.
So no talk of how to deliver a second referendum - Mr Swinney instead wants to focus on the substance of why he believes independence is needed.
The first minister now turns to independence.
He says the SNP fought elections in 2017, in 2019 and in 2021 on a manifesto commitment to hold a referendum on independence.
"We won each of those elections – and each time with a higher share of the vote than Labour achieved either here in Scotland or across the UK back on the 4th July.
"At each of those elections the Westminster parties denied – and continue to deny – Scottish democracy."
He goes on to pledge to the conference that he will make sure independence is understood and by making it "urgent and essential".
Andrew Kerr
BBC Scotland political correspondent
This is an unashamedly pro-growth and pro-business speech from the first minister.
The address today marks an important gear change from the policies pursued by one of his predecessors, Nicola Sturgeon.
Her government was often accused of not doing enough to be pro-business.
John Swinney is enthusiastically supported in this drive by his Economy Secretary Kate Forbes.
Politicians know the way out of the public spending mire is more growth.
This was made abundantly clear in the speech where he essentially warned his ministers that he wanted them out there “getting investment, investment, investment.”
Public services will be prioritised, says the first minister, with Scotland’s nurses and NHS staff “the best paid in the UK”.
He then adds that the government will do everything they can to tackle the housing “crisis” and create new homes.
Swinney then turns to green energy and aims some words at Labour in the process.
He brings up rising energy bills and the cut of the winter heating payment for many pensioners, saying that Labour should be “ashamed to show either of their two faces in Scotland ever again.”
Andrew Kerr
BBC Scotland political correspondent
There’s a key sequence of events for John Swinney this week.
As well as his speech today, he’s going to announce his Programme for Government at Holyrood on Wednesday - which he’s just mentioned in the address.
This is about identifying the nation’s key priorities - ending child poverty, improving public services and boosting economic growth.
That’s not all in the sequence - he’s also spoken about living “in an era of Westminster cuts”.
That trails ahead to Tuesday’s statement from the Finance Secretary where they will accuse Labour of “austerity” in a round of spending cuts - and brings us back to attacking their opponents ahead of the 2026 Holyrood election.
The first minister is now discussing the Programme for Government that will be announced in the coming week.
He brings up the government working “harder, and smarter”, and adds that they will “tailor support better to families” in an attempt to help lift them out of poverty.
Swinney then lists initiatives like the baby boxes and the expansion of early learning as examples of smarter policy.
Image source, PA MediaFirst Minister John Swinney spoke to BBC Scotland News ahead of the SNP conference
First Minister John Swinney ruled out cuts to universal benefits such as free university tuition and prescriptions, in a pre-conference interview with BBC Scotland political correspondent Lynsey Bews
However, the SNP leader has warned that difficult spending choices would have to be made in this year's budget.
He said the government was grappling with "sky-high inflation" as it tried to meet public sector pay demands.
Speaking ahead of the SNP conference in Edinburgh, Swinney insisted the party would offer the "hope Scotland desperately requires".
The Scottish government has introduced emergency curbs on all "non-essential" spending as it negotiates pay deals with council workers, doctors, nurses and teachers.
Ministers have already announced several cost-cutting measures - introducing means-tested winter fuel payments, the return of peak rail fares, scrapping free bus travel for people in the asylum system and delaying a digital devices programme.
Swinney is now recalling growing up as a child and going to Forrester High School in Edinburgh, where he saw classmates in poverty. He says that when he goes to his son’s school in Perth, nothing has changed.
He says child poverty still existing is a “testament to how Westminster has totally failed Scotland” and that his is “proud of the spending decisions the SNP have made since taking power, pointing to the Scottish Child Payment as an example.
He contrasts this with Labour not scrapping the two child benefit cap, and adds that the decision is “pushing tens of thousands of children in Scotland into poverty”.
Andrew Kerr
BBC Scotland political correspondent
Unsurprisingly, after that terrible election defeat, the SNP have been focussing their attack on the Labour.
It’s really important for the party as they head to the 2026 Holyrood election result that they portray Labour as just the same as the Conservatives.
Mr Swinney claimed Labour announced an intensification of Tory austerity, with £22bn of spending cuts.
He called this an “era-defining” moment.
What the SNP aim to do is to define and describe Labour like that in an attempt for that message to stick in voters’ minds.
Lynsey Bews
BBC Scotland cheif political correspondent
Labour is a threat to the SNP in the 2026 Holyrood election.
So it’s unsurprising that part of John Swinney’s speech was spent on the attack - criticising Labour policies on Trident, Brexit and its approach to spending - and more specifically spending priorities.
Indeed, it’s public finance that has proved to be the pinch point in the UK and Scottish governments’ attempt at a reset in relations.
In his speech Mr Swinney accused Labour ministers of “cynical” politics, and “a total breach” of their voters’ trust.
He highlighted Labour’s refusal to scrap the two child benefit cap - contrasting it with the SNP administration’s Scottish child payment.
Labour’s announcement of financial pain to come has given the SNP a bruise to press, but budget pressures at Westminster spell difficulties for Scottish ministers too.
They’ve been accused of failing to manage their own spending properly, ahead of a raft of cuts due to be announced at Holyrood next week.
The SNP leader says everyone in this conference hall was "glad to see the back of the Tory government".
He says the last 14 years have provided the evidence that Westminster system is broken.
Swinney says he's made clear his government will work in good faith with the UK Labour government if it is in the interests of the people of Scotland to do so.
"If the Prime Minister wants to start unpicking the damage of fourteen years of Conservative rule, then he will find a willing partner in me."
Swinney calls for the UK government to restore the powers of the Scottish Parliament eroded by Brexit.
He then turns a critical eye on to Labour.
Image source, ReutersOver the summer there were riots in England and Northern Ireland
The first minister is now speaking about the summer’s far right riots in England and Northern Ireland. He says that people applying for asylum should never feel fearful when living in Scotland.
Mr Swinney says the SNP “will never denigrate people who honour us by choosing to make Scotland their home” and emphatically adds that “the SNP will always stand up for a country free of hatred and intolerance.”
He goes on to stress Scotland’s support for Ukraine in the conflict with Russia, adding that “we will never be found wanting when the world has to step up.”
Andrew Kerr
BBC Scotland political correspondent
A key aim of this conference is trying to put the general election defeat behind the party.
This is important for them - as they have their eyes set on winning the 2026 Holyrood election.
John Swinney is trying to demonstrate that we have seen internal democracy in action at conference - people have their say and then move on together.
He added: “I don’t want our party looking inwards, I want our party looking outwards.”
The leadership are attempting to argue that they have listened, they have the correct strategy and they can move forward.
Some in the membership would certainly disagree - although the party hierarchy accuse them of being out of touch.
Lynsey Bews
BBC Scotland chief political correspondent
The SNP spent the first morning of its conference raking over the coals of its election defeat.
The message in Mr Swinney’s speech was clear - it’s now time to “move on together”.
In other words, time to put the internal divisions of recent years firmly behind them.