John Swinney: “The Westminster UK Government has failed for years to properly invest in adequate defence provision in our North Sea…”

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 decades.

Conference, because we won the election – and because we won the trust of people in Scotland - we can now do two things: improve people’s lives here and now, and build the best possible future by delivering Scottish independence.

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.