It’s a pleasure and a
privilege to be able to share some of my thoughts with you so early in my
tenure as First Minister.
Scotland has just lived
through the most extraordinary flowering of democracy and political engagement
any of us have seen in our lifetime.
The referendum campaign was
an empowering, energising phenomenon which saw the revival of the town hall
meeting and which took political debate into every home, workplace and
community across Scotland.
And it proved that – despite
the cynicism about politics which so often prevails nowadays – people can, and
do, become politically engaged when faced with issues which really matter to
them.
The Yes campaign which I was
proud to play my part in may not have prevailed – but that huge political
engagement has continued, not least with the massive surge in SNP membership
which now makes ours the third largest party in the whole of the UK.
That is the spirit of
democratic engagement which I will be looking to build on, as SNP leader and
First Minister, in the days to come.
And I very much look forward
to working with the STUC in those days ahead.
Our country remains on a
constitutional journey, but I am determined that the Scottish Government
pursues an agenda of social and economic progress in tandem with that focus on
the constitution.
And, as the STUC marks our
national day with this year’s theme of a Scotland free from racism, I want to
reiterate just how important it is that we make Scotland a welcoming country
for everyone who has chosen to make this nation their home.
Scotland’s civic ethos is an
inclusive and progressive one, which helps ensure that welcome is extended to
all who come here. But we must always be on our guard against racism and
prejudice when it does rear its head, and the STUC is to be commended on
sending out that unequivocal message.
No comments:
Post a Comment