Nicola Sturgeon

John Swinney admits First Minister's language was 'blunt', but says 'people want to hear it the way it is'

The First Minister insisted that she was referring to Tory "policies and values" rather than individual politicians or voters after the comments triggered uproar. I think it's right to call out the things that you disagree with." At the time, Ms Sturgeon criticised her language, saying "hate is not a good emotion in politics."

The SNP leader was heavily criticised on Sunday for saying to the BBC: "I detest the Tories and everything they stand for."

She also rejected claims there was a lack of policy commitments during the conference. Speaking to journalists on Sunday, the First Minister was asked about any announcements she would make in her speech. Deputy First Minister [John Swinney](https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/nicola-sturgeon-accused-using-dangerous-28191489) was asked about the comments on the BBC's Breakfast programme. Sturgeon is set to close the SNP's conference in Aberdeen with her keynote speech this afternoon. He added: "It's not just the letter of October 1. And there hasn't been a response to that letter either."

Deputy First Minister John Swinney has defended Nicola Sturgeon in the aftermath of her statements about the Conservative Party, claiming that I linked ...

The views expressed here are that of the respective authors/ entities and do not represent the views of Economic Times (ET). Swinney stated that the First Minister loathed conservative ideas and conservative party beliefs. [Kwasi Kwarteng](/topic/kwasi-kwarteng)to address the contentious mini-budget. There has also been no response to the letter. Sturgeon's deputy [John Swinney](/topic/john-swinney), on the other hand, has backed her up, accusing the Conservatives of following an agenda that is harmful to vulnerable people in the UK. He clarified that it wasn't simply the October 1 letter.

Roz Foyer, the STUC general secretary, said the Conservative Government at Westminster had declared "class war" on working people.

"She was right to detest all that they stand for. "But now I would ask them to do the right for health workers, do the right thing for teachers, and for workers across the whole public sector in Scotland. "Because yes, times are difficult, and yes it's difficult to find the money, but it is the right thing to do. "We have to do everything we can to stand up to that and to resit that." "That shows union power - but it also shows a government prepared to sit down and talk to us," she added. Speaking to Laura Kuennsberg, the SNP leader said: "If the question to me is would I prefer a Labour government over a Tory government – I detest the Tories and everything they stand for – so it’s not difficult to answer that question.”

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Throughout that time, a number of different events and speeches will take place in order to shape policy in the coming months. The schedule for the SNP conference has a slot allocated for Nicola Sturgeon to speak at 3.15pm, on Monday, October 10. As the 2022 SNP Conference enters its final day, Nicola Sturgeon is set to take the stage in what is seen as the main event of the party gathering.

The Majority has launched its latest crusade against the SNP leader's indyref obsession and called on her to ditch plans for a Scexit poll next year.

Mark Devlin, founder of The Majority, said: "Nicola Sturgeon wants her followers to believe that there will be a meaningful second independence referendum in October 2023. The same poll, commissioned by Scotland in Union, showed a big majority for staying in the UK. Stop wasting our time and money, and bin your PretendyRef, Nicola!" "Sturgeon’s PretendyRef is either illegal and cannot happen, or her PretendyRef is legal and meaningless. This has also been rubbished by experts. She has gone to the courts in a bid to push through her plans for an 'advisory' referendum. It is likely to be boycotted by many pro-UK voters. A recent poll suggested just a third of voters want one at all next year while just seven per cent think Scexit is a priority. It includes digital billboards in both They have been funded by donations from ordinary members of the public and The Majority says it "highlights the fact that the majority of Scots reject Sturgeon’s attempt to have a referendum in 2023". [Glasgow ](https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/all-about/glasgow)and [Edinburgh](https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/all-about/edinburgh). [Nicola Sturgeon](https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/all-about/nicola-sturgeon) has been told to stop wasting taxpayer money on her ' [pretendyref](https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/all-about/indyref2)' as the country prepares for the oral arguments at the Supreme Court over a planned [Scexit ](https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/all-about/scexit)poll next year.

Further Scottish Tories, such as MSP Annie Wells and MP Andrew Bowie, claimed Sturgeon had attacked every person who voted for their party. They seem to have ...

[fighting to remain as leader of the Scottish Tories as multiple rebellions brew](https://www.thenational.scot/news/23007066.douglas-ross-facing-significant-scottish-tory-leadership-challenges/). Still Game’s Sanjeev Kohli wrote: “Maybe have a wee word with yourselves as to why so many people detest you?” Others suggested the Tories do some soul-searching to understand why Sturgeon’s “detest” line seems to have resonated with so many people. “You know I’ve never thought about donating to the Tories but I’d pay for a poster of this as long as shipping was included,” one Twitter user quipped. [Tories](https://www.thenational.scot/politics/tories/) and everything they stand for,” [Nicola Sturgeon](https://www.thenational.scot/politics/nicola-sturgeon/) said on Sunday. “I detest the Tories”, it reads, above a picture of Nicola Sturgeon.

After 15 years in power, Scottish National Party faces growing sense of stasis despite fresh independence vote push.

“There is growing concern in nationalist ranks that a resurgent Labour, with Sir Keir Starmer now more popular in Scotland than Sturgeon, could leave the SNP even further from its goal,” the paper reported. The first minister said former Labour chancellor Alistair Darling, who campaigned against independent in 2014, had told the Scottish people that independence “would threaten our membership” of the EU, “imperil people’s pensions” and “cause a currency crisis”. But “the cracks are starting to appear in the notion that Scotland is a de facto ‘one party state’ under the SNP”. These are the consequences that people are paying the price of right now. Her address today will be pored over for signs on how she views the future.” Sturgeon is the longest-serving first minister in the history of devolution, after the party secured a third successive term with a record vote share at the last [ Scottish election](https://www.theweek.co.uk/news/politics/952736/scottish-election-results-future-uk). “The detail of success or failure in individual policy areas is less significant than the sense there is no plausible alternative to nationalist hegemony,” Massie continued. “Out of the European Union, pensions within hours of falling through, and the currency plunging. But “look at where we are right now”, Sturgeon continued. [The Telegraph](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/09/24/sturgeons-rule-coming-laughable-end/), “but given the wreckage of Sturgeon’s record it seems to be the only thing that keeps them going.” [The New Statesman](https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/scotland/2022/02/what-does-the-snp-have-to-show-for-15-years-in-power) that despite the “ideological smoothness of the handover of power” from former SNP leader Alex Salmond to Sturgeon in 2014, “the landscape of big, bold projects is depressingly sparse”, amid “a mysterious absence of strategic planning” and almost no cross-party collaboration. [BBC](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-63186282) Scotland political correspondent Philip Sim said that while “there was “total belief” in Sturgeon as leader, “in all honesty, this doesn’t feel like the gathering of a party that’s [a year away from a referendum](https://www.theweek.co.uk/news/uk-news/957171/the-road-to-a-second-scottish-independence-referendum)”.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon must reinvigorate the Scottish independence campaign when she addresses the SNP conference in Aberdeen today.

[Abusive attacks on Tories](https://www.thenational.scot/news/23034669.first-minister-nicola-sturgeon-addresses-criticism-detest-tories-comment/) may be an easy applause point in the conference hall but outside in the real world voters want real solutions for improving their lives. [Poll after poll show people are turning to Labour](https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-labour-keeps-big-lead-over-pm-trusss-conservatives-poll-shows-2022-10-08/) amid the Conservative chaos. [to test the SNP’s argument to hold a referendum](https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/politics/scottish-politics/3770935/supreme-court-snp-independence-referendum/) without the same UK Government consent as in 2014. [a chaotic start](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/liz-truss-conservative-conference-rebellion-b2195488.html), the economy has been hammered and trust in the prime minister plummeted faster than the pound. When Ms Sturgeon stands on the conference stage today, she will have to put some energy into the campaign.

First minister uses SNP conference to promise steady hand compared with Westminster mayhem.

Borrowing to be repaid by eye-watering austerity cuts and a raid on the incomes of the poorest.” and please remember, whatever happens in future, Scotland belongs to you as much as it does to us.” She told them: “You oppose independence as strongly – and from as much principle – as we support it. Independence would not mean “turning our back on the rest of the UK”, she said, but “is about recasting our relationship as one of equals”. With Liz Truss, it took them just three weeks.” While the court case is continuing – the judgment is not expected until the end of the year – Sturgeon told her party their job was to focus not on the “how” of independence but the “why”, “not just talking to ourselves, but reaching out to others not yet persuaded”

The Building a New Scotland Fund will be set up with remaining oil revenues and the use of borrowing powers in order to “kick-start the sustainable economic ...

Ms Sturgeon told delegates that independence will create a “partnership of equals” in the UK, and said the nations of the UK and the Republic of Ireland will “always be the closest of friends, always be family”. Ms Sturgeon addressed delegates as she closed the SNP conference in Aberdeen on Monday, giving a glimpse into proposals that will be set out in an upcoming paper from the Scottish Government. Investment of £20 billion will be delivered in the first decade of Scottish independence, Nicola Sturgeon has said.

Especially now that the SNP is once again leading this great city. Aberdeen and the North East is at the heart of our just transition to a net zero future.

But she also worried that getting there would be hard. We are the independence generation. Conference, She thought it would be good. And Conference,

In her keynote speech at the SNP's party conference, Scotland's first minister accused the UK government of a "denial of Scottish democracy" by blocking a ...

They abandon all principle for fear of upsetting the apple cart. "At least the Tories believe in it. Letting down Scotland - same old Labour." It is these which are causing tension and fraying the bonds between us." She told the conference: "Full frontal attacks on devolution. "Independence is not a miracle economic cure," she added.

Scotland's First Minister addressed delegates as she closed the SNP conference in Aberdeen on Monday.

Ms Sturgeon told delegates that independence will create a “partnership of equals” in the UK, and said the nations of the UK and the Republic of Ireland will “always be the closest of friends, always be family”. Ms Sturgeon addressed delegates as she closed the SNP conference in Aberdeen on Monday, giving a glimpse into proposals that will be set out in an upcoming paper from the Scottish Government. Investment of £20 billion will be delivered in the first decade of Scottish independence, Nicola Sturgeon has said.

The First Minister told delegates at the SNP conference in Aberdeen that she is “proud” of the Scottish Government's work to tackle child poverty. But she added ...

Investment of £20 billion will be delivered in the first decade of Scottish independence, she pledged. She went on: “By the end of this Parliament, there will be a fast-track cancer diagnostic centre in every heath board in Scotland. The First Minister told delegates at the SNP conference in Aberdeen that she is “proud” of the Scottish Government’s work to tackle child poverty.

The First Minister used her keynote speech at the SNP conference to declare that Scotland going its own way was now more essential than ever.

We believe in the rule of law. But I will never - ever - give up on Scottish democracy." "First, and obviously, we will respect that judgment. And if the court doesn’t decide that way? We can do so much better than this." It is the opposite. "People can see all too clearly now that the UK does not offer economic strength or financial security. She confirmed a paper detailing the economic advantages of independence would be published next Monday. We can do better than this. We will always be the closest of friends. We will always be family. [being imposed by Liz Truss](https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/liz-truss-under-pressure-increase-28141582) and her new Tory government at Westminster.

Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross said the SNP conference speech was 'narrow' and 'independence-obsessed'.

“This is tangible evidence of a way forward for a secure, cleaner energy industry. “This speech was Nicola Sturgeon’s Groundhog Day address. Just like there was nothing on ferries, long Covid or mental health.

ABERDEEN, Scotland — Nicola Sturgeon accused Westminster of lacking “any respect at all for democracy,” as she rallied her Scottish National Party ahead of ...

If the courts do put the brakes on Sturgeon’s plan for a referendum, it will be time for what figures close to the Scottish first minister refer to as “Plan C” — fighting a U.K. [latest push for separation](https://www.politico.eu/article/nicola-sturgeon-plan-scottish-independence/), Sturgeon is seeking a ruling from the U.K.’s top court on whether the Scottish Parliament, based at Holyrood, has the power to hold a second referendum without the consent of the U.K. The Supreme Court will on Tuesday and Wednesday hear arguments from the top lawyers of the Scottish and U.K. Sturgeon said: “For as long as I am first minister — by the way conference, I intend that to be for quite some time yet, my job, our job, is not done — as long as I am first minister, I will do everything in my power to build the better Scotland we all want to see.” Her aside generated the loudest cheer of the weekend from the SNP faithful. But Westminster has no such respect.” In her only mention of this strategy in her speech, Sturgeon said that if the courts rule against her government it will be left with the choice of “putting our case for independence to the people in an election, or giving up on Scottish democracy.”