Nationalists set for fresh start

By John Knox
BBC Scotland political reporter

They sang "Scots Wha Ha'e" with a vigour not heard in years.

The conference was the first for the new leadership team

This has been the best Scottish National Party (SNP) conference in recent times.

The party activists can't quite believe there was no squabbling over poor election results, no splits between fundamentalists and gradualists, no personality feuds.

Party membership is up, again, to 10,000.

The atmosphere in the auditorium at the Eden Court Centre was as fresh and bright as the bracing Inverness air outside.

And the tea and scones in the white marquee were equally fresh and satisfying.

Alex Salmond gave a vintage performance on Friday afternoon.

The party was relieved and delighted to have him back, though John Swinney got a huge ovation when even his name was mentioned.

Alex Salmond said the SNP must make electoral progress

It was all the press' fault that he was blamed for poor election results.

Alex Salmond's declaration that Tony Blair was "beyond the pale of decency" in his conduct of the war in Iraq hit home in the hall and may well carry weight in the country in the general election, expected early next year.

He went on to condemn the "managerial administration" of First Minister Jack McConnell in Edinburgh. It was boring Scotland into submission.

Instead Mr Salmond held out the prospect of an independent Scotland as the "renewable energy capital" of Europe, a country with low business tax and a social conscience.

The party's economic policy was almost unanimously agreed in an hour-long debate on Friday.

Some delegates wanted a clear commitment to full employment written in but the platform party feared that might put big business off.

President Winnie Ewing attacked Tony Blair

Others wanted the whole policy sent back for more detailed study.

There was an emergency resolution passed calling for a serious pause in the hospital reorganisations planned up and down the country.

Another was passed condemning the plan to merge the Scottish infantry regiments.

Throughout the conference Nicola Sturgeon has been seen in white suits and red suits talking happily to delegates, speaking authoritatively from the platform, conferring with Alex Salmond.

The former conference darling Rosanna Cunningham, on the other hand, has been standing in the side aisles. She actually lost her seat on the national executive.

Kenny MacAskill, the fast-talking MSP for the Lothians, has had a good conference.

On Friday he published a book, Building a Nation, which seeks to take nationalism forward into the post-devolution era.

It talks of co-operation with England, with other European countries, once Scotland becomes independent.

Alex Salmond greeted the SNP's 10,000th member

And it acknowledges that independence will only come after the SNP and others have made the Scottish Parliament work.

The road out of Inverness is certainly looking brighter than the road in, just four days ago.

The test of the new faith, however, will come with that general election.

The triumphant SNP delegates heading back to their constituencies will be hoping that standing up to Tony Blair on Iraq and offering Scotland an alternative to Labour will bring them the votes they've been missing for the last three elections.

If it doesn't, it wouldn't just be King Edward who was heading homeward to think again.