John Swinney said United Nations (UN) weapons inspectors should be given more time following Friday's report by Hans Blix, the head of the team.

Speaking at Saturday's Stop-the-War demonstration in Glasgow, Mr Swinney said the majority of people in Scotland were opposed to military action.

Every peaceful, political and diplomatic avenue must be exhausted before military action is contemplated John Swinney

The SNP leader addressed the rally outside Labour's conference venue at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre.

Tens of thousands of people marched through the Scottish city in what police described as the largest demonstration since the 1990 anti-poll tax protest.

Mr Swinney said that a "rich and varied country" had come together as a community.

"Today our community - in the long and honourable history of Scottish internationalism - joins hands with others across the globe to say loud and clear to Tony Blair and George Bush: 'Not in our name. Your rush to war must be halted and halted in the name of humanity and world security'."

He said that the UK prime minister and the US president were pursuing "an inevitable path to war".

Vital issue

"Whatever the cost, however many innocent civilians are killed, the Bush-Blair plans are clear," he said.

"Well so are ours. Let us in this community send out a message.

"We - not you President Bush and not you Prime Minister Blair - are in the majority. Listen to the people because on this most vital of issues we, the people, are right."

Without a second UN resolution, Liberal Democrats believe there is no way that we could or should support war Robert Brown Scottish Liberal Democrats

He argued that the UN weapons inspections should be given the time to complete their work, however long it took.

"I believe every peaceful, political and diplomatic avenue must be exhausted before military action is contemplated," said Mr Swinney.

"And today those avenues are far from exhausted."

The politicians addressing the rally also included Robert Brown MSP, the vice convener of the Scottish Liberal Democrats - Labour's coalition partners in the Scottish Executive.

"This demonstration is a stunning expression of the anxiety, fear and dismay felt by the vast majority of people in Scotland and throughout Britain at the prospect of war in Iraq," said Mr Brown.

Cross-section

He said the case had not been made for war against Iraq.

"Without a second UN resolution, Liberal Democrats believe there is no way that we could or should support war," he said.

Scottish Socialist Party leader Tommy Sheridan was pleased to see a cross-section of society at the protest.

He said: "Brothers and sisters, we need to wage war against poverty rather than Iraq."