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KEY EVENTS<\/h4>\n
Labour and Lib Dems react to Yousaf’s address<\/h3>\n
With the SNP having previously frozen council tax for several years after the party first came to power, Labour shadow Scottish Secretary Ian Murray said: “Fresh out of ideas for 2023, Humza Yousaf seems to have reached for the SNP’s 2007 manifesto for inspiration – but after 16 years of broken promises Scots aren’t buying it any more.”<\/p>\n
Scottish Liberal Democrat economy spokesperson Willie Rennie insisted it was an “unfunded tax cut” like those from previous Tory prime minister Liz Truss.<\/p>\n
Blasting Mr Yousaf’s administration, the Lib Dem MSP said: “This Government is divided, volatile and incompetent just like Liz Truss’s was.”<\/p>\n
Scottish Tories respond to Yousaf’s speech<\/h3>\n
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross said: \u201cThis speech to a slimmed-down nationalist faithful confirms that Humza Yousaf\u2019s number one priority will always be independence above all else.<\/p>\n
\u201cOther announcements, such as on the NHS backlog and council tax, aimed at attempting to clean up the SNP\u2019s previous mistakes were all sidelined by Humza Yousaf\u2019s nationalist obsession. It is clear that no other issue will get a look in during the SNP\u2019s campaign at the next year\u2019s general election.<\/p>\n
\u201cHumza Yousaf is all too happy to waste more taxpayers\u2019 money on promoting independence despite Scots struggling with a global cost-of-living crisis. It is completely the wrong priority for Scotland at this time.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur country cannot afford the nationalists spending five more years talking about their constitutional obsession at every turn, but that is what Humza Yousaf\u2019s speech confirmed they are hellbent on doing.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn seats from the South of Scotland to the North East, it is only the Scottish Conservatives who can beat the SNP, stop Humza Yousaf obsessing about independence and ensure the focus gets back onto the issues that really matter\u201d<\/p>\n
Key points from Humza Yousaf’s conference speech<\/h3>\n
– Council tax will be frozen in the upcoming Scottish Budget.<\/p>\n
– The Scottish Government will issue its first financial bonds on the international market.<\/p>\n
– The SNP leader pledged an extra \u00a3300 million for the NHS in Scotland over the next three years.<\/p>\n
– He set out support for women experiencing domestic abuse in Scotland with those wishing to leave an abusive partner able to receive up to \u00a31,000 as part of a new pilot fund.<\/p>\n
– The Scottish Government will invest up to \u00a3500 million in the next five years for the offshore wind supply chain in Scotland.<\/p>\n
– The First Minister called for an international refugee programme to be set up for those fleeing violence in the Gaza strip.<\/p>\n
– He confirmed the first line of the party’s general election manifesto would read: “Vote SNP for Scotland to become an independent country.”<\/p>\n
– He insisted that support for independence can be built into a “sustained majority”.<\/p>\n
– He thanked his predecessor Nicola Sturgeon.<\/p>\n
Yousaf slammed over independence pledge<\/h3>\n
Pamela Nash, chief executive of Scotland in Union, said: “Humza Yousaf confirmed that the very first words of the SNP manifesto will be about independence.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat exposes exactly what the SNP is about \u2013 the break-up of Britain comes before everything else.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut people will be furious with the SNP for making such a vote about the constitution when there are so many other more important issues.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey want their government to focus on the cost-of-living crisis, properly-funded public services and better job opportunities.<\/p>\n
\u201cInstead, the nationalists will contest the next election in the only way they know how \u2013 by pushing their grievance agenda and driving a wedge between Scotland and the rest of the UK. It\u2019s time for people\u2019s priorities, not the SNP\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n
In his conference address, the SNP leader said “page one, line one” of the party’s manifesto will be on independence.<\/p>\n
James Cleverly pulls rug from under Humza Yousaf with threat to withdraw Foreign Office support<\/h3>\n
In a letter seen by the Daily Telegraph, the Foreign Secretary threatened to take away support for SNP ministers on trips abroad in a bitter row over Humza Yousaf blocking UK diplomats from attending talks with the Icelandic prime minister in New York last month.<\/p>\n
Should SNP ministers continue, James Cleverly said he would instruct his officials \u201cto withdraw from facilitating meetings between Scottish government ministers and ministers of foreign governments\u201d.<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n
Yousaf has ‘no doubt’ SNP can convince ‘sustained majority’ of Scots to back independence<\/h3>\n
In his closing speech, he told SNP delegates: \u201cIt is not process arguments that will achieve our goal. Around half of our fellow Scots already support independence.<\/p>\n
“I have no doubt that we can turn that half into a sustained majority.<\/p>\n
“And we will do so when we concentrate not on the how – but on the why.<\/p>\n
“At the next election, page one, line one of our manifesto will say ‘vote SNP for Scotland to become an independent country’.”<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n
SNP leader takes aim at Keir Starmer<\/h3>\n
Scotland’s First Minister told the SNP conference he has “no idea what Keir Starmer stands for”.<\/p>\n
Humza Yousaf said: “The closer he gets to Downing Street, the further he retreats from his principles.<\/p>\n
Council tax freeze<\/h3>\n
Council tax in Scotland will be frozen next year, Humza Yousaf has announced in his closing speech.<\/p>\n
He said: “That’s the SNP delivering for people when they need it the most.”<\/p>\n
Yousaf admits by-election loss was ‘tough night’<\/h3>\n
Addressing the SNP’s loss of the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election last week, Humza Yousaf said it was a “tough night” but the party could not spend time feeling sorry for itself.<\/p>\n
He said: “We roll up our sleeves and we work harder than ever before for the people of Scotland.<\/p>\n
“That is how I am going to lead this party forward.<\/p>\n
“It starts by standing by our values. Sticking up for what we believe in. And standing up for Scotland.”<\/p>\n
Yousaf makes gushing Sturgeon tribute<\/h3>\n
In his speech, the SNP leader said: “Nicola Sturgeon transformed Scotland. She reformed Scotland’s public services. She improved the life chances of thousands of Scotland’s young people.<\/p>\n
“And we will never forget that in the toughest of times our country faced, Nicola was the calmest of voices and the coolest of heads.<\/p>\n
“So for all of this and more, we say thank you Nicola.”<\/p>\n
His comments prompted rapturous applause from the party faithful in the audience.<\/p>\n
Humza Yousaf gives keynote speech<\/h3>\n
The SNP leader is now on stage at the P&J Live Arena as he delivers the closing speech at the party’s conference.<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n
Scottish Tories attack SNP over ‘independence obsession’<\/h3>\n
Humza Yousaf’s arch-rivals have shared an image mocking him on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.<\/p>\n
They said: “Only the Scottish Tories are focusing on the issues that really matter to people across Scotland right now.”<\/p>\n
‘Don’t be ridiculous’: Nicola Sturgeon responds to claims she is now the Liz Truss of the SNP<\/h3>\n
Nicola Sturgeon denied she was overshadowing her successor when confronted by the media on her arrival at the SNP conference yesterday.<\/p>\n
She branded comparisons with Liz Truss, who was largely seen as stealing the show from Rishi Sunak <\/strong>at at the Tory Party conference in Manchester, as “ridiculous”.<\/p>\n The said in a post on X: “These unacceptable delays are a result of the overwhelming failure of Humza Yousaf\u2019s NHS Recovery plan and years of dire workforce planning by successive SNP health secretaries.”<\/p>\n After Lisa Cameron MP defected to the Tories <\/strong>in a dramatic move last week, one of her former SNP colleagues took to the airwaves on BBC Scotland.<\/p>\n But her appearance did not impress Scottish Tory MSP Rachael Hamilton, who took to social media platform X to rage about “Lisa\u2019s experience of toxic abuse”.<\/p>\n A new pilot scheme will offer the victims of domestic abuse up to \u00a31,000 to escape their relationships, the First Minister has announced.<\/p>\n Ahead of his first SNP conference speech as leader, Humza Yousaf announced the Fund to Leave – which will send \u00a3500,000 to Women’s Aid organisations in five council areas, with the formal announcement due when he speaks on Tuesday.<\/p>\n Humza Yousaf’s keynote conference speech this afternoon is being billed as him hoping to “reset” his waning leadership of the SNP and to unite the rabidly waring party ranks.<\/p>\n Mr Yousaf’s speech will be held in a small side room of the party’s conference venue as activists have thus far failed to fill seats in the main hall.<\/p>\n Politico has said a failure by the First Minister to fill all the seats at today’s speech would be “embarrassing” on his big day.<\/p>\n The party’s official X account shared a post claiming an independent Scotland can “rejoin the EU, benefit everyone with a well-being economy and offer compassion to those fleeing war and terror.”<\/p>\n The Scottish Tory Party’s Deputy Chairwoman has mocked her opposite SNP number in a scathing attack on X, formerly Twitter.<\/p>\n Sharing a Scottish Express article<\/strong>, Pam Gosal MSP said: “SNP to launch \u2018rebuttal unit\u2019 to counter \u2018fake news\u2019. This from the party who have spent years spinning bogus claims about independence. Brass neck, much!?”<\/p>\n Scottish Tory party chairman Craig Hoy has claimed Scots would be “appalled” if they thought their hard-earned cash was being used to further the SNP’s independence agenda<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Mr Hoy said: “The SNP\u2019s conference has made it crystal clear that independence will be front and centre of the party\u2019s next General Election campaign. Every other issue will be pushed aside in order for the nationalists to continue their relentless pursuit of another referendum.<\/p>\n \u201cTheir latest campaign is set to start in a matter of weeks. During a cost-of-living crisis, it would be appalling if any public money was spent on this latest push to break up the United Kingdom.<\/p>\n \u201cAs we rapidly head towards winter, there are far more urgent issues which demand the SNP\u2019s attention, than their constitutional obsession. The BMA Chairman has already warned of the worst-ever winter in Scotland\u2019s NHS, which is a terrifying thought for patients and frontline staff.<\/p>\n \u201cOur emergency services are warning that people might die if the SNP continue to impose cuts on them. Those are the issues that are the real priorities facing Scotland. Money should be spent on supporting people struggling with the cost-of-living crisis and our public services which are overwhelmed on the SNP\u2019s watch. Scotland simply cannot afford the SNP wasting taxpayers\u2019 money yet again on their independence obsession.\u201d<\/p>\n The First Minister will today insist that post-Covid ministers are “working hard to reduce NHS waiting times” with a “significant reduction in the longest waits” having been seen since targets for this were announced last July.<\/p>\n But he will add: “I am announcing today that in each of the next three years, we will invest an extra \u00a3100million to cut waiting lists.<\/p>\n “This additional funding will enable us to maximise capacity, build greater resilience in the system and deliver year-on-year reductions in the number of patients who have waited too long for treatment.<\/p>\n “That will reduce waiting lists by an estimated 100,000 patients by 2026.”<\/p>\n On the issue of independence, he will say that already “around half” of Scots support the country leaving the UK.<\/p>\n The SNP leader will add: “I have no doubt that we can turn that half into a sustained majority.”<\/p>\n The SNP leader will give his speech to the conference this afternoon.<\/p>\n Here are five key areas he is likely to address.<\/p>\n 1. Stepping out of Nicola Sturgeon’s shadow<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong>Yesterday, Ms Sturgeon was accused of “upstaging” her successor<\/strong> with a rockstar appearance at the event.<\/p>\n Mr Yousaf was quick to insist he was “delighted” at her arrival \u2013 but he will be keen to make a distinction between their leaderships during his address today.<\/p>\n 2. Personal anguish <\/strong><\/p>\n The First Minister’s wife has opened up about her heartache as her family is currently trapped in Gaza<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Mr Yousaf is likely to address his own feelings on the Israel-Hamas conflict at some length today.<\/p>\n 3. Labour poll surge<\/strong><\/p>\n Mr Yousaf will be keen to quell fears of a Labour resurgence in Scotland after the party’s humiliating defeat in the Rutherglen and Hamilton-West by-election <\/strong>earlier this month.<\/p>\n The Scottish First Minister must now take the fight to the party it now sees as a genuine threat by employing the SNP playbook of attacking Labour from the left and exposing its U-turns.<\/p>\n 4. The fight for Scottish independence <\/strong><\/p>\n The SNP’s central aim \u2013 to achieve secession from the UK \u2013 looks further out of reach than it has for at least a decade.<\/p>\n Extracts from Mr Yousaf\u2019s speech show he will argue the SNP must concentrate not on the \u201chow\u201d of gaining independence, but the \u201cwhy\u201d in what will be seen as a rallying cry to his party.<\/p>\n 5. The party’s civil war <\/strong><\/p>\n The bitter civil war and internal rows engulfing the party are also likely to be on the agenda.<\/p>\n Mr Yousaf will be forced to address\u00a0Lisa Cameron MP’s recent defection to the Tory Party<\/strong>, citing a \u201ctoxic culture\u201d in the SNP based around \u201ca cult of personality\u201d and come up with a way of unifying his fractured party.<\/p>\n The morning session from 10.30am includes resolutions on improved care and support for disabled people; support for carers; safe access zones for asylum seekers in Home Office accommodation; withdrawal from the energy charter treaty; trauma and mental health services; A9 and A96 dualling.<\/p>\n And the afternoon session from 2pm includes resolutions on addressing endometriosis; additional support needs in early education; history of South Asian soldiers; topical and emergency resolutions and an address by SNP leader and First Minister Humza Yousaf.<\/p>\n Humza Yousaf is expected to pledge an extra \u00a3300million for the NHS in Scotland over the next three years in a desperate bid to win over his party faithful today.<\/p>\n The embattled SNP leader will use his keynote conference speech to say the cash could reduce waiting lists by 100,000 by 2026.<\/p>\n Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of the SNP conference in Aberdeen!<\/p>\n Our political team will bring you the latest developments, insight and analysis as we get it.<\/p>\n Please refresh this page for regular updates throughout the day.<\/p>\n We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info<\/p>\nHumza Yousaf’s SNP blamed for ‘unacceptable delays’ in NHS waiting times<\/h3>\n
SNP MP accused of ‘serious mud slinging’ in Lisa Cameron bullying row<\/h3>\n
Victims of abuse to be offered up to \u00a31,000 to escape their relationships, Humza Yousaf announces<\/h3>\n
Humza Yousaf hoping to ‘reset leadership’ with speech<\/h3>\n
SNP claims it can re-join the EU if it becomes an independent nation<\/h3>\n
SNP deputy leader accused of having a ‘brass neck’ over new ‘rebuttal unit’ to counter ‘fake news’<\/h3>\n
SNP issued warning over splurging tax-payer cash on independence push<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\nFirst look at Humza Yousaf’s speech<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\nFive things to watch in Humza Yousaf’s big speech<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\nWhat’s on today?<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\nHumza Yousaf to pledge an extra \u00a3300million for NHS in Scotland over the next three years<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\nGood morning<\/h3>\n