SNP conference: Robertson says party will make history with seats win

Angus Robertson told the SNP conference that with hard work the party could "win this election"

The SNP is on the verge of "making history" by winning more Scottish seats at Westminster than any other party.

Campaign director Angus Robertson made the prediction to delegates at the SNP conference.

He told those gathered in Glasgow: "I believe with hard work and with the positive SNP vision - we can win this election."

Voters throughout the UK will go to the polls on 7 May to choose who will be their next MP.

Recent polling has suggested that the SNP will win the majority of Scotland's 59 seats.

Currently Labour has 41, the Liberal Democrats have 11, the SNP holds six and the Conservatives have one.

Mr Robertson said: "The best ever SNP Westminster result was 30% of the vote when the SNP won 11 seats in 1974. I believe this year we can do better. I believe we will do better."

But he stressed that the result was "not certain".

He added: "The polls suggest it may well happen. Those of us that are knocking on doors, we know that it can happen, but we will not take anything for granted. And we will work every hour of every day until the polls close in that general election to secure an SNP victory across the length and breadth of Scotland."

New members

While the nationalists failed to win independence in last year's referendum, the party has seen a massive surge in support, and now has 100,000 members, making it the third biggest political party in the UK.

Mr Robertson said: "We are going into this election in the strongest pre-election phase of support in the party's history, with our 100,000 members making us the third largest political party in the UK and this is the biggest SNP conference yet with 3,000 delegates here."

He said that more seats for the SNP would bring about "more influence and power for the people of Scotland".

He pledged: "We will play a constructive role in Westminster and bring our ideas forward in a positive spirit. We will offer a real alternative to the drab Tory-Labour cuts consensus.

"It is time for a more responsible economic policy. One which boosts long term growth, creates jobs and delivers all."

Mr Robertson told the conference: "Scotland, these will be the hallmarks of the SNP campaign. We take nothing for granted and will work harder over these next 40 days than we have ever done before."