AFTER three days of debate and discussion in Aberdeen, the SNP’s annual conference for 2023 has drawn to a close.
Here we look at some of the most talked about moments as the conference progressed:
Nadia El-Nakla’s emotional speech on Gaza
The conference opened with an emergency resolution condemning the attacks by Hamas and calling for a humanitarian corridor to allow civilians to be evacuated from Gaza.
Nadia El-Nakla, (below) the wife of First Minister Humza Yousaf, addressed delegates to tell them of the “unimaginable horror” unfolding in Gaza – where her parents are trapped.
She told the SNP conference: "My brother is an ER [emergency room] doctor and the hospital is being overrun.
"Yesterday my cousin was out walking with friends, returned home and got a call asking if he was okay. He said he was fine, but the three friends he was just walking with had just been killed.”
She added: “No food, no water, no electricity. We are seeing an attack on humanity and my heart feels like it is starting to turn to stone.
“Gaza is being obliterated like never before.”
‘Flatulence’ in debate over indy strategy
A full afternoon of debate took place on the first day over the best way forward on the SNP’s independence strategy.
Despite differences, party members agreed on plan that if the party wins the “most seats” at the next General Election, the Scottish Government would be “empowered” to begin negotiations on independence with UK ministers.
It was a key debate for the party, but the discussion of the ins and outs of the plan was livened up by the words of one delegate who branded the plan “flatulence in a trance”.
Joanna Cherry praises SNP leadership
Before the conference, SNP leader Humza Yousaf had spoken of how he wanted the party to unite after deciding the independence strategy.
During the debate on that issue, SNP MP Joanna Cherry – who had previously been critical of Nicola Sturgeon’s leadership – took time to thank him for his backing for her amendment to set up a constitutional convention.
She also praised Yousaf and SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn for enabling the debate on independence strategy to take place as she announced she would not be putting forward one of her amendments to their resolution calling for a different approach.
She said: "The new leadership of this party are returning this party to its tradition of respectful and reasoned debate and in this they have my full support. Humza also has my full support in his call for unity.
"Over the past week I have had the pleasure of discussing with Humza how that unity might be brought about and I recognise it will require compromise and sacrifices from everyone."
Nicola Sturgeon appears
When former SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon (above) turned up at conference, there was no doubt she is still a popular figure in the party, as she was met by supporters - and a huge media scrum.
Her appearance on lunchtime of day two of the gathering came just after the party had voted to abandon her policy of fighting the next General Election as a ‘de-facto’ referendum.
But she gave her “full unequivocal support” to the decision which had been made.
Humza Yousaf’s first leader’s speech
The pressure was on for Yousaf to deliver a speech on the final day which would not only please the SNP members gathered at conference but appeal to a wider audience.
He unveiled a range of policies which certainly got people talking, including a freeze on council tax and the SNP Government's "most ambitious proposal yet" - issuing Scotland’s first ever bonds to fund infrastructure.
He also emphasised the messages around why Scotland needs to be independent, finishing with a rallying call for activists to "let's get out there and make it happen."
But the opening of the speech, like the first day of conference, was dominated by a plea to help all those affected by the "truly heartbreaking" situation in Gaza, while condemning the Hamas terrorist attacks.
He won the room from the start after an introduction by Deputy First Minister Shona Robison praising his "calm measured leadership", by saying: "She almost made me greet".
