SNP leader, John Swinney, made several promised in his speech, but introduced two key policies when addressing conference at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre on Saturday.

The first is a promise to extend childcare for every child from nine months old to the end of primary school – which will be available 52 weeks of the year. He claimed this will be “more transformational change delivered by the SNP”.

This will be backed by more than £500 million of new investment delivering a brand new childcare system which fits around families – “rather than expecting families to fit around the system”. The new provision is designed to help families who work year round with care of between £1,400 and £11,000 dependent on need.”

Mr Swinney said: “Every single family in Scotland will get help. No one gets left behind by the SNP.”

The second promise is that the government – if re-elected, will deliver 30 GP walk-in clinics across Scotland, doubling the original pledge. The first was opened at Wester Hailes a few weeks ago, and is fast becoming the Baby Box of this government term as it is constantly lauded as a real achievement.

At present there are 15 open, and now the government has said the number will be doubled.

  • GP walk-ins will complement traditional General Practices and urgent care – bridging the gap between the two – to offer patients the opportunity to be assessed at clinics led by GPs and staffed by highly-skilled, multidisciplinary teams. Depending on clinical need, patients may see a GP or Advanced Nurse Practitioner or another health professional.
  • This pilot scheme, which will be subject to full evaluation, is additional to a landmark £531 million investment in primary care which will see GP numbers increased across Scotland. During the pilot phase, the service is available to patients registered with local GP practices within the catchment of the identified sites.
  • Planned opening dates for GP walk-in centres –
  • Wester Hailes, Edinburgh, NHS Lothian –  Opened on 11 February 2026
  • Lochee GP Practice, Dundee, NHS Tayside – 2 March 2026
  • Benbecula, NHS Western Isles – March
  • Stranraer, NHS Dumfries and Galloway – 14 April 2026
  • Lerwick, NHS Shetland – April
  • Hawick, NHS Borders – April
  • Invergordon, NHS Highland – May
  • Aberdeen City, NHS Grampian – May
  • Cardonald, Glasgow, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde – June
  • Dunoon, NHS Highland – June
  • Moray, NHS Grampian – Summer 
  • Aberdeenshire, NHS Grampian – Summer
  • Sauchie, Alloa, NHS Forth Valley – Summer
  • Phase Two 
  • East Ayrshire, NHS Ayrshire and Arran
  • Clydesdale, NHS Lanarkshire
  • Central Fife, NHS Fife

Jackie Baillie, Deputy Leader of the Scottish Labour Party, said: “Today’s speech proved what Scotland already knows, John Swinney is the tired, arrogant and out-of-touch face of an SNP government that has run out of ideas after nearly two decades in power. 

“He has been at the heart of SNP failure for years, and now he expects the people of Scotland to give him a chance to fail them all over again. Scotland needs a government that will fix the basics and deliver the change that Scotland needs.”