IT’S fair to say that SNP conferences have changed a great deal since I joined the party a decade-and-a-half ago.

My first SNP conference was in Inverness, and while those diehard delegates present for John Swinney’s leader’s speech back then were as politically engaged and motivated for independence as all those who travelled to Glasgow last weekend, it’s clear to all that the scale and scope of the event has changed almost beyond all recognition.

In recent times, Dunoon, Aviemore, Inverness, Perth and Dundee have all played host to party delegates from branches across Scotland. But now, with more than 115,000 members, the party has unfortunately outgrown the venues these fine towns and cities have to offer.

Currently, only Glasgow’s SECC and the Aberdeen International Conference Centre have the space to host Scotland’s premier political gatherings.

More than three thousand delegates took their seats in the cavernous venue to debate policy, celebrate the SNP’s achievements in Government and hear directly from John Swinney, Stewart Hosie, and our own First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to make the case for casting both votes for the SNP in the Scottish elections on Thursday, May 5.

As I waited outside the main hall at the end of proceedings on Sunday, it was great to see Scotland’s diversity on show as attendees filed past on their way home.

I bumped into Marion Fellows MP, who only entered politics in her sixties and has been appointed this week as the party’s new champion for older women.

I also managed to congratulate Jamie Szymkowiak, whose determination to secure an equal voice for disabled members within the SNP was rewarded this weekend after he gained support from conference to ensure that disabled members have every opportunity to stand for elections to Scotland’s councils in 2017.

But over and above this diverse and inspiring group, I was struck by the sheer number of young people in attendance. The SNP have always had a vibrant and active youth wing, and a strong background in nurturing up-and-coming talent. But this weekend hammered home to me the central role these young women and men are playing in shaping our party today.

Whether it was leading the questioning at fringe meetings on TTIP, vigorously debating policy resolutions or setting out the main elements of our election platform, our young people were showing the way. Gaela Hanlon’s personal and highly emotional address in the debate calling for increased LGBT+ education in Scotland’s schools touched the heart of everyone present, while Holyrood candidate Rhiannon Spear’s uplifting call for voters to pledge #BothVotesSNP in May had three thousand members calling for more at the end.

The way that the wider SNP membership has embraced these contributions can tell us a lot about why the SNP continues to play the commanding role it has in Scottish politics today.

When Scotland’s voters watched the SNP last weekend they saw a rich diversity of people working together to make their country a better place. They saw a group of people who reflect the society around them, rather than projecting an identikit image of politicians in grey suits. They saw hope for our future.

Scotland today faces a variety of challenges, from dealing with the pressures on our economy to maintaining our world-class public services and playing our part in making the world a safer place for all.

When voters go to the polls in a few weeks, they have a choice of a range of parties whose stated aim is only to carp from the sidelines. These increasingly marginalised parties are caught up in the trap of thinking about what the election result means for them, and not about what it means for Scotland.

Of all the parties competing for votes in May’s election, only the SNP is committed to building a real programme for Government. In the next few weeks we’ll publish a manifesto that celebrates our many successes as well as addressing the serious issues our country will face today and tomorrow.

As I watched the three thousand SNP delegates leave the conference venue on Sunday I saw members from all across the country of every age, sexual orientation, religion and race standing shoulder to shoulder.

With an SNP member living in almost every street and village in the country, never has our vision for our future been so firmly rooted in the best interests of the communities and groups who make up our modern country.

This is an exciting time to be involved in making Scotland an even better place to live. I’m so very proud to be working with an increasingly diverse and inclusive SNP membership to make this happen.