The first minister takes aim at Starmer's digital ID scheme, which the prime minister says will ensure the country's "borders are more secure".

Swinney says: "We are certainly not going to let Keir Starmer or any Westminster politician to define us by Brit Cards. We must define our own future."

For context, digital IDs will be used to prove a person's right to live and work in the UK. They will take the form of an app-based system, stored on smartphones in a similar way to the NHS App or digital bank cards.

• Read more in our explainer: What are digital ID cards, how will they work and will they be mandatory?

Swinney begins by saying "I want to talk about where we are going as a country. Right now, the choice is a simple and stark one."

He says that "winning for Scotland" is what the SNP is all about.

He goes on to talk about the direction Scotland is heading in, vowing: "We must not resign ourselves to a future defined by Brexit or sky-high bills."

David Wallace Lockhart
Political correspondent, reporting from the conference

It’s a busy hall for John Swinney's speech - there are not many spare seats.

He’s now under way with a number of cabinet colleagues, and other prominent SNP politicians, on stage with him.

Image source, Getty Images

SNP leader John Swinney is at the podium, and is now delivering a speech at the party conference in Aberdeen.

You can follow along with the first minister's speech by pressing watch live above.

We'll bring you the key lines right here, stay with us.

Swinney has stabilised the SNP, our Scotland political editor Glenn Campbell writes, but he and his party still face some challenges. We've take a closer look at four of the key difficulties for the SNP.

Independence

Swinney does not have the backing of the UK government for another referendum, UK PM Starmer has previously said there would be no referendum during his tenure.

Swinney has also said an SNP majority is the only way to secure independence, something they don’t currently have.

The threat of Labour

Prime Minister and Labour leader Keir Starmer has vowed to lead Labour into the 2026 Holyrood elections.

After victory north of the border in the 2024 general election, Labour is aiming to return to government in Scotland for the first time since 2007 at next year's Holyrood election.

Falling short of a majority

In the 2024 general election, the SNP lost 39 seats, with Labour gaining 36. As Swinney looks toward the 2026 Holyrood elections, he’ll be aiming to become a majority party. In Scottish Parliament, they fall just short of a majority with 60 MSPs out of the total 129.

Declining SNP membership

Figures published in August show that Swinney faces a declining number of SNP members. Membership fell to 56,011, down by more than 8,500 since 2023.

Image source, PA Media

In September, Swinney’s government published the latest in a series of papers on Scotland's constitution.

It urged the UK government to agree to a referendum on Scottish independence if the SNP wins a majority at next year's Holyrood election.

During the announcement of the plans, Swinney told Scots to "come together and demand a say over our future".

The last referendum was held in 2014, when Scotland voted against leaving the UK by a margin of 55.3% to 44.7%

But justifying another, Swinney said that by 2030 there would be one million young Scots eligible to vote who were too young to participate in the 2014 referendum.

Political opponents have described independence plans over the years as a waste of time and money, while some within the SNP have argued for a more radical approach to securing independence.

SNP members backed Swinney's independence strategy at the party conference on Saturday.

First minister will no doubt have a spring in his steppublished at 14:30 BST

14:30 BST

David Wallace Lockhart
Political correspondent

SNP activists seem in a pretty good mood. And why wouldn’t they be?

They’re leading in the polls with a Holyrood election just a few months away. And this comes just a year after they were soundly beaten in Scotland at the general election.

What a turnaround.

On top of that, they’ve agreed a new independence strategy - that returning a majority at the 2026 election will result in the UK government granting another vote.

There are a number of potential pitfalls with this approach, not least it requires the agreement of Keir Starmer (who’s indicated he’s very much opposed).

And a Holyrood majority is an incredibly high bar, what happens if the SNP falls short?

But - in many ways - what matters this weekend is that the SNP got through this internal debate without tearing itself apart.

Yes, some delegates took a different view, but John Swinney has ended up exactly where he wants to be - his party has rubber stamped his strategy.

So he’ll no doubt have a spring in his step as he takes to the conference stage this afternoon.

Image source, PA Media

John Swinney has been Scotland’s first minister since May 2024, taking over from his ousted predecessor Humza Yousaf. He was also appointed leader the Scottish National Party (SNP) last year.

Edinburgh born and bred, the 61-year-old joined the party in 1979 aged just 15 and has since held a number of local and national positions.

He was party leader from 2000-2004, and faced a challenge in 2003 at that year’s SNP conference.

There, the party hosted a leadership election, which he won in a landslide. He was appointed deputy first minister in 2016.

For many in the SNP - particularly those who have been in the movement for a long time - Swinney embodies what they think of as core SNP values.

Swinney is pro-Scottish independence, and in September set out his plans for a path to a second referendum.

In his final conference speech ahead of the upcoming 2026 Holyrood elections, a lot is riding on what he has to say to party members, and to the people of Scotland.

• You can read more about Swinney in our profile

Image source, PA Media

Party leaders have been delivering speeches at conferences across the UK in recent weeks - today it's the turn of Scottish First Minister and SNP leader John Swinney.

The first minister is in Aberdeen, where he will address members of the party he has been a part of since his teenage years.

He became the SNP's deputy leader in 1998 and then leader in 2000, before stepping down in 2004. Last year, Swinney was again elected - unanimously - to be SNP leader.

Today's speech marks his second after being sworn in to the role of first minister in May 2024.

In the months since, the party has faced financial challenges from falling membership and the loss of MPs in last year's general election.

Swinney is again making the case for Scottish independence and, in recent months, has been flying to and from the US to discuss whisky tariffs with President Trump.

Today is his chance to appeal to members, and to a wider audience in Scotland, about his vision for the party ahead of next year's parliamentary elections.

You'll be able to follow his speech - which is expected just after 15:00 BST - right here on this page. Stay with us for all the latest updates and analysis.