Keith Brown: 'Independence is the only way to escape Westminster chaos'

The Justice Secretary will be the first speaker to address the 88th Annual National Conference at the P&J Arena in Aberdeen on Saturday.

Following a series of polls which show Labour with a substantial lead over the Tories if a snap general election was held, Brown is also set to warn that UK Labour governments are “temporary” and have always been followed by Tory rule.

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The MSP will say that Labour “simply cannot be trusted” to deliver the permanent change that Scotland needs and blast them as “handmaidens of more Tory rule”.

The gathering will be the SNP’s first in-person conference since 2019, with the previous conferences being held online only, and with pre-recorded addresses from top party figures, including the First Minister.

Brown is set to say: “Since we last met, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has seen off three and is now on to her fourth Tory prime minister.

“And, given how Liz Truss has started, her party is already turning on her and it won’t be long until they force her out, too.

Brown will say it won't be too long until the Tories oust Truss as party leader

“She has delivered more chaos and confusion than even the most pessimistic prediction.

“In less than a month, she has tanked the economy, risked the pensions of millions; scrapped the cap on bankers’ bonuses, announced and then u-turned on income tax cuts for the wealthy, created a debt crisis, and showed the world she is singularly unfit for the job.”

The SNP MSP added that the chaos created by Truss is “no surprise” due to her history of government roles under previous PMs.

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He added: “She has been a Tory Government Minister for a decade, serving under Cameron, May and Johnson. From austerity to Brexit, she’s been complicit in inflicting the worst Tory policies on the people of this country.

“It is a sobering thought indeed, that when the history of 2022 is written, it will record that Boris Johnson was not even the worst Prime Minister this year.

“What is clear is that Liz Truss is a symptom of the dysfunction at Westminster – not the cause. The very fact that she and her policy agenda was deemed acceptable to enter Downing Street in the first place speaks volumes.”

Brown is also set to attack Labour following four polls in a row last week showing that the party have a 30+ point lead over the Tory party.

Brown will say Labour "cannot be trusted with Scotland's future"

The top SNP politician will say: And, conference, as bad as the Tories are – and they are atrocious – any suggestion that a Labour Westminster government will be better for Scotland is simply laughable.

“Keir Starmer is just another Tony Blair. Under Starmer, the Labour Party is as Trumpian as the Tories in their denial of Scottish democracy.

“It is an incontrovertible fact that the SNP has a cast-iron mandate to hold an independence referendum. But Labour always side with the Tories to protect Westminster control – no matter how high a price the people of Scotland pay.”

Earlier this year Keir Starmer said that if he becomes Prime Minister, he would not sign off on a Section 30 order to allow a referendum to go ahead.

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Brown added that the party also supports the “deeply damaging Brexit” which Scotland did not vote for. Scotland voted 62% Remain during the 2016 ballot.

He will say: “Labour supports the deeply damaging Brexit that Scotland did not vote for. I repeat, Labour supports Brexit, and stands against any Scottish aspiration for our country to re-join the European family of Nations.

“And never forget, never forgive that, in 2014, it was Labour who championed the ‘No’ campaign message that only a No vote would deliver economic stability. It seems absurd now, but that’s what Labour promised. They can’t be trusted with our future.

“And we know through the bitter lessons of history that Labour are only ever the handmaidens of more Tory rule. If they get into power, they are soon turfed out by the Tories and gift to them the same powers of Westminster control they always abuse. It’s a pattern repeated time after time after time.

“Your homes, your pensions, your incomes are not safe under Westminster control. It is a price that Scotland can no longer afford to pay. Be in no doubt, independence is Scotland’s only chance to escape Tory chaos for good.”

Brown will open the conference at 10.30am on Saturday, with a speech from Lesia Vasylenko, People’s Deputy of Ukraine due at 12pm.

Ian Blackford, the party’s Westminster leader, will give a speech at the end of the first day at 3.15pm. Speakers on Sunday will include speeches from constitution secretary Angus Robertson, SNP president Mike Russell, Deputy First Minister John Swinney and Plaid Cymru’s Liz Saville-Roberts will give a fraternal address.

On Monday, delegates will hear from Social Justice Secretary Shona Robison, Health Secretary Humza Yousaf and Education Secretary Shirley Anne-Somerville.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will close the three-day conference with a keynote speech at 3.15pm on Monday.