The leader told the party it must appeal to the broadest possible church.

The aim of the party was to represent the whole country, he told the Perth conference.

He said: "This party must work with the people of Scotland, listen to the people of Scotland and stand up for the people of Scotland to earn the right to contend for the governance of Scotland.

"Nationally, our responsibility is and will be to be true to mainstream Scotland - a Scotland that wants policies of enterprise and of compassion and democracy.

"To devise a policy programme for the new parliament that will make a real difference but also seek to raise sights towards what can be achieved with real power - with independence."

SNP has adopted folk song Caledonia as its theme

His speech highlighted the need for enterprise and compassion to "build the society that Scotland seeks."

Mr Salmond said the party must never be content to be anything other than representative of all of Scotland.

He told the conference: "The SNP needs all of Scotland because all of Scotland needs the SNP."

He said the party would dedicate itself to representing all of Scotland and use that as a theme to prepare for " the millennium - the restoration of democracy in our country and the creation of a new politics for a new century."

Mr Salmond said: "Independence is not an end in itself. It has always been our aim to set new standards of decency of justice, of tolerance, and of compassion and that will be the true fruit of independence, the true fruit of the process on which Scotland was now engaged.

"The next stage of that process is to build our parliament and our democracy - to join together as a nation. That is the task for Scotland's party."

Mr Salmond also attacked the Labour Party, saying they were not fit to govern Scotland.

Sean Connery: donates nearly £5,000 a month to the SNP

He said: "This government is hell bent on destroying vital assets of basic social welfare."

The weekend conference has been boosted by a poll which showed that more than 50% of Scots support a complete break with England.

On the opening day of the conference, Mr Salmond told delegates to prepare for the next 12 months which, he said, would be "Scotland's year".

Members at the party's weekend conference in Perth have overwhelmingly endorsed an amendment supporting the right of councillors to stand in both local elections and those for the new Scottish Parliament.

The party also agreed that the decision lay in the hands of individual councillors and party constituency associations.

Mr Salmond has told the conference the SNP was set for the most exciting year of its history.

The party has also chosen a new traditional logo and anthem for its election campaign, a re-working of the classic Caledonia by singer-songwriter Dougie MacLean.

It was also revealed this week that actor Sean Connery donates nearly £5,000 a month to the party.