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Nicola Sturgeon to be appointed SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon appointed SNP leader
(about 2 hours later)
Nicola Sturgeon is to formally take over the leadership of the SNP from Alex Salmond. Nicola Sturgeon has taken over the leadership of the SNP from Alex Salmond with the aim of claiming victory for Scotland at the 2015 UK election.
She will be confirmed in the post as the SNP's annual conference gets under way in Perth, before being voted in as Scottish first minister next week. After being confirmed in the post at the start of the SNP conference she said leading the party was "the biggest privilege of my life".
Ms Sturgeon, who has been the SNP's deputy leader for the past decade, was the only candidate for the job.Ms Sturgeon, who has been the SNP's deputy leader for the past decade, was the only candidate for the job.
Mr Salmond announced he was stepping down in the wake of voters rejecting independence in September's referendum. MP Stewart Hosie won the contest to be deputy SNP leader.
The SNP's Treasury spokesman stood for the post against Youth Employment Secretary Angela Constance and Transport Minister Keith Brown.
Ms Sturgeon, who will next week be voted in as Scottish first minister by parliament, said the SNP was now Scotland's biggest party "by a country mile".
She told the conference in Perth: "The wind is in our sails, but in politics there is no room for complacency or for self congratulation - we must always look forward as a party, as a movement, as a country and ensure we do our best for the people we serve."
Accepting the leadership in the wake of Mr Salmond's decision to stand down following the independence referendum "No" vote, she said: "To become the leader of the party that I joined as a teenager is the biggest privilege of my life.
"It is an emotional moment, but one that I cherish and one that I relish."
In a speech to the conference later, Mr Salmond will reaffirm his belief that Scotland will become an independent nation, and set the SNP a target of bringing its membership to 100,000 before next May's general election.In a speech to the conference later, Mr Salmond will reaffirm his belief that Scotland will become an independent nation, and set the SNP a target of bringing its membership to 100,000 before next May's general election.
The result of the race to replace Ms Sturgeon as deputy leader will also be announced as the conference opens at 10:00 on Friday - with Transport Minister Keith Brown, Youth Employment Secretary Angela Constance and SNP Treasury spokesman Stewart Hosie all contesting the role.
SNP chiefs have said that, despite the outcome of the independence referendum, the party was well placed for further electoral success, with its membership going from 25,000 to more than 84,000 since 18 September.SNP chiefs have said that, despite the outcome of the independence referendum, the party was well placed for further electoral success, with its membership going from 25,000 to more than 84,000 since 18 September.
And they said polls indicated the party was at about 46% on Westminster voting intentions, with the figure at 48% for the Scottish Parliament.And they said polls indicated the party was at about 46% on Westminster voting intentions, with the figure at 48% for the Scottish Parliament.
Later the party is expected to announce changes to party rules allowing non-members to stand as candidates in the general election. Later the party is expected to announce changes to rules allowing non-members to stand as candidates in the general election.
The move is designed to appeal to activists who campaigned for a "Yes" vote in the independence referendum.The move is designed to appeal to activists who campaigned for a "Yes" vote in the independence referendum.
Ahead of the conference, the SNP's business convener, Derek Mackay, said: "The SNP has become the national party of Scotland in all senses - leading in the polls across all areas and demographics of Scottish society.
"As distrust in the Westminster establishment parties has grown, people have seen the SNP stand up for them at Holyrood, at Westminster and in Europe. And they are putting their trust in us to take Scotland forward."
He said there was much hard work to be done in the months ahead, but added: "Nicola Sturgeon will be a first-class leader of the SNP and we are delighted that she will become not only the SNP's first female leader but Scotland's first female first minister.
"The SNP always has and always will work to make Scotland stronger and better.
"As party leader and first minister, Nicola will ensure the hard work continues - and that the Westminster establishment are held to account to deliver the vow they made to deliver 'extensive new powers' to the people of Scotland."
'Day of empowerment'
Mr Salmond, who has been Scottish first minister for seven-and-a-half years, will address the conference on Friday afternoon, with Ms Sturgeon making her first speech as party leader 24 hours later.Mr Salmond, who has been Scottish first minister for seven-and-a-half years, will address the conference on Friday afternoon, with Ms Sturgeon making her first speech as party leader 24 hours later.
In his address, Mr Salmond is expected to reaffirm his belief that Scotland will become an independent nation.In his address, Mr Salmond is expected to reaffirm his belief that Scotland will become an independent nation.
He is due to say: "I want to affirm what we achieved together on the 18th of September 2014, because whilst we lost that vote, we also won a great deal.He is due to say: "I want to affirm what we achieved together on the 18th of September 2014, because whilst we lost that vote, we also won a great deal.
"The 18th September 2014 will come to be seen as the day Scotland took control of her own destiny. It was a day of empowerment. Of engagement. Of confidence. It reawakened in millions of Scots a sense of purpose and of hope."The 18th September 2014 will come to be seen as the day Scotland took control of her own destiny. It was a day of empowerment. Of engagement. Of confidence. It reawakened in millions of Scots a sense of purpose and of hope.
"It ended - forever - the top down politics of the past and ushered in a new era of participative politics the envy of the democratic world. So regardless of 'Yes' and 'No' let us all agree that from the 18th September 2014 the clear winner can be Scotland.""It ended - forever - the top down politics of the past and ushered in a new era of participative politics the envy of the democratic world. So regardless of 'Yes' and 'No' let us all agree that from the 18th September 2014 the clear winner can be Scotland."
The outgoing first minister will describe the day of the referendum as the "most significant breakthrough in Scottish political history".The outgoing first minister will describe the day of the referendum as the "most significant breakthrough in Scottish political history".
He will add: "Why? Because despite everything that the Westminster establishment threw at Scotland, 45% of the people - 1.6 million women and men living and working in Scotland - chose hope over fear, a much higher number than our opponents ever thought possible when we started this campaign."He will add: "Why? Because despite everything that the Westminster establishment threw at Scotland, 45% of the people - 1.6 million women and men living and working in Scotland - chose hope over fear, a much higher number than our opponents ever thought possible when we started this campaign."
Mr Salmond is expected to say: "After the referendum, those very opponents believed that Scotland had been quietened, that we'd had our day in the sun and we should be politely put back in our box.Mr Salmond is expected to say: "After the referendum, those very opponents believed that Scotland had been quietened, that we'd had our day in the sun and we should be politely put back in our box.
"They thought it was all over… well it isn't now. Because in truth, delegates, everything in Scotland is now different. All has changed and changed utterly."They thought it was all over… well it isn't now. Because in truth, delegates, everything in Scotland is now different. All has changed and changed utterly.
"Because of the 55% who voted 'No', many did so on the last minute promise of radical constitutional reform within the Union.""Because of the 55% who voted 'No', many did so on the last minute promise of radical constitutional reform within the Union."