First Minister’s message of hope as thousands march for Yes
Nicola Sturgeon says the SNP is giving people hope for a better future while the party’s rivals disintegrate over Brexit. The First Minister was speaking ahead of the party’s autumn conference in Glasgow today. Ms Sturgeon said the three-day event will focus on domestic matters such as improving the NHS and boosting wages. She added: “At this most crucial time in the UK’s negotiations on its future relations with the EU, Labour and the Tories have fallen apart into bitter faction-fighting. “The people of Scotland deserve better than the despair, incompetence and chaos of Westminster – and the SNP is offering a clear message of hope. “In government, we’re building a fairer and more prosperous Scotland – protecting the most vulnerable in society, making the tax system fairer and investing in our NHS and other vital public services. Yesterday, tens of thousands of proindependence supporters marched through the streets of Edinburgh before rallying near the Scottish Parliament. Organisers claimed the numbers were approaching 100,000 but police estimated the number to be closer to 20,000. At the SNP conference today, Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf will announce a dedicated task force to improve victims’ experiences of the justice system. The taskforce will hear evidence directly from victims on their experiences of the justice system. Mr Yousaf said: “I have made clear my determination to develop a truly victim-centred approach which will demand coordinated action by justice system partners and victim support organisations. “This task force will accelerate progress by keeping up momentum and ensuring accountability, focusing on the improvements that matter most to victims and working together to break down barriers to change.”