FIRST MINISTER’S 10-YEAR PLAN

NICOLA Sturgeon has spent a decade pushing for independence in government.

But the First Minister is slowly coming to terms with recent events.

The people spoke loudly in the snap election, clipping the SNP’s wings and putting a road block in the way of IndyRef2.

Today, Sturgeon is expected to flesh out what Scotland has really been looking for all along – plans to build the economy and govern for everyone.

Signs of radical policies have been emerging in recent months.

Sturgeon’s programme for government looked years into the future with plans to ween the economy off fossil fuels, for example.

It’s only really now voters are seeing what a Sturgeon administration really looks like.

And it would be a sign of a very tired leadership if she were to revert to default nationalism in her key note speech.

Over the last few days, SNP members have shown they are not just here to wave flags.

They’ve been willing to collar the Justice Secretary on massive problems facing our national police force.

They’ve demanded the Education Secretary increases pay for teachers.

And they’ve defied the leadership to shape public policy in difficult areas such as drugs and rampant inequality.

The conference keynote speeches have been mostly flat but scratch beneath the surface and Glasgow’s SEC has witnessed packed fringes fizzing with ideas and energy.

Today, Sturgeon has the opportunity to take inspiration from the grassroots and move the party on with some bold ideas.

It’s one she needs to grab with both fists.