John Swinney defended his strategy

John Swinney was addressing the first large gathering of party faithful since the Scottish parliamentary elections when the nationalists lost eight seats and saw their share of the vote fall.

Mr Swinney said he made no apologies for promising voters a referendum on independence and vowed to continue to battle towards this aim.

The referendum strategy has come under fire from some in the party who believe SNP electoral victory should be a sufficient mandate for independence.

Let's tell Scotland why our country needs to be independent and win that argument, and win that argument in every community of Scotland John Swinney

He said: "During the election, I put independence and our referendum policy centre stage. I make no apologies for doing so.

"It was essential. It had to be done. It could not be ducked."

Mr Swinney said this allowed the party to tell voters that there was a "clear, unchallenged" route from devolved power to full independence.

Now the party must convince voters as to why they should back independence, the leader said.

He said: "Despite all our efforts over the years, the majority of Scots believe that they and their families will either be worse off, or no better off, under independence.

"Frankly, we are never going to win while that fact remains.

"Let's tell Scotland why our country needs to be independent and win that argument, and win that argument in every community of Scotland."

Membership expansion

He also argued that the party should seek broader appeal.

He said: "In our country today there are those who share many of our ambitions.

"We should not reject them because they do not share all of our ambitions.

"To them I say, walk with us as far as you can go."

Activists heard Mr Swinney promise to modernise the party's structures and to launch "the most ambitious membership expansion scheme" since the late 1960s.

He pledged a new party constitution, less bureaucracy and a smaller national executive committee with more grassroots involvement.