NICOLA Sturgeon will declare Scotland is “now a nation on the cusp of making history” as she insists the SNP’s goal of independence is “in clear sight”.
The First Minister will open her party’s annual conference by telling activists she has “never been so certain” the country will achieve independence.
Her comments will follow last December’s “landslide victory” for Scotland in the UK General Election, in which the SNP won 48 of the 59 available seats.
Since then, 14 opinion polls have put independence support in a majority among Scots voters.
While Prime Minister Boris Johnson has repeatedly said he will not allow another referendum on independence to take place, Sturgeon said a majority for her party in next year’s Holyrood election should enable such a vote to happen.
On Thursday, she said a referendum could be held “in the earlier part” of the next parliamentary session. She added while the country is still in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, she is now “more hopeful” this will end soon and the SNP can focus more on independence.
Sturgeon will tell the conference, which is taking place virtually, that: “Scotland is now a nation on the cusp of making history.
“Independence is in clear sight – and with unity of purpose, humility and hard work I have never been so certain that we will deliver it.
“The people of Scotland have the right to choose their future. Let’s now focus all our efforts on making sure we bring about that better country they and future generations deserve.”
She will say support for independence among Scots has now “risen to become the sustained and majority view in public opinion”.
She will add: “While our primary focus must remain on eliminating Covid-19 from our shores, for which we have renewed hope, Scotland must be ready for what comes next. And I know we will be.”
She will say: “The question for all of us as we look ahead to the election next May is this: Who should be taking the decisions that will shape our futures?
“We know that it is the people who live here, wherever they come from, who can best harness Scotland’s immense human and natural resources to the benefit of everyone.”
She will urge her party to “reach out to all of Scotland like never before” and say the SNP must “demonstrate with cool heads and with patient persuasion that Scotland is ready to take its place in the global family of independent nations”.
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