A Minister writes – Stewart Stevenson on SNP Conference Saturday

A great day at the SNP Conference in Inverness

Every day at conference is precious and as that great Scot Andrew Carnegie said, “The early bird gets the oyster, the second gets the shell”. So it's online at 0715 to read the media comment from yesterday and orient myself for today.

And today is FM's speech, the Donaldson Lecture and, for me, Ministers' Moments at 1030. I’m also on the agenda committee that selects topical motions so lots to do.

Like the first SNP Conference I attended in the Usher Hall in Edinburgh in the mid 1970s, this is the highlight of the activist's year. Every time a familiar face appears in the conference environs, people sidle up to talk, to listen, to persuade. And to check that the Minister's feet are firmly on the ground. That's the activist's right.

And even though the formal sessions are an hour away, the buzz, that palpable sense of excitement is abroad at Eden Court when I arrive.

1000 Bruce Crawford briefs Ministers before our hour's report to Conference. I follow Alasdair Allan and have a strict 4 minutes.

1030 A full house in the auditorium again. And halfway through Alasdair's speech a frantic signal from Bruce to me – please take 6 minutes – OK boss.

Always worth a laugh reminding colleagues that it's Sno joke being Minister for snow but now I' m environment. Appropriate laughter a good start.

All went well.

Spending time at conference means everyone has the chance to meet with you, so the break is a photo with a Council candidate, agreeing to do Atholl Branch Burns Supper, discussing the impact of sea lice on salmon. Variety is the spice of conference.

By lunchtime I’m on my second box of throat lozenges, but no lunch and then collared by one of the staff – Do I know any funny stories Nicola can use to introduce the First Minister for his speech at 3 pm? On tenterhooks to see if any are used.

1330 Mark MacDonald tells me the joke he intends to use at 2 pm when he makes the financial appeal to conference. Mixture of pleasure and fear. It's about me. It's about me.

1345 Am sitting near our support team in the hope that this a quiet corner to work on this blog. Failed.

1355 Head off for seat in auditorium, Just spotted tweet from Brewdog “Great speech Stewart”. Can my cheerfulness rise even higher?

1400 Mark Macdonald makes superb financial appeal speech. Not sure about the reference to me.

1455 Announcement of International climate change award for First Minister.

FM with activists at the North-East reception

1500 The man himself, Alex Salmond, wows an audience so large that we need five overflow halls.

And well – you can read the speech here for yourself

http://www.snp.org/blog/post/2011/oct/alex-salmond-delivers-keynote-speech