Best of the rest at SNP gathering

The SNP's European and Westminster election campaigns will be masterminded from Dundee, the party's spring conference has been told.

The European campaign will be led by Joe FitzPatrick, MSP for Dundee West, while the Westminster campaign will be led by Dundee East MP Stewart Hosie.

The SNP last month ejected Labour from power in the city after winning a council by-election.

Minister for Parliament Bruce Crawford told delegates in Glasgow: "In Stewart Hosie and Joe FitzPatrick we have two campaigners with a proven track record, who have what it takes to win in Europe and to deliver a strong voice for Scotland in Westminster."

Nationalists pushing for a referendum on Scottish independence should also argue their case in England, said Constitution Minister Mike Russell.

He said SNP supporters had an obligation to put the case further afield, as the minority SNP government works to gain enough parliamentary support to hold it.

"It's not just the national conversation - it's an international conversation," Mr Russell said.

"We have an obligation to tell everybody we know about what Scotland is today, and what its prospects are."

The 2012 London Olympics are a "financial sponge", an SNP MP told the conference.

Westminster sports spokesman Pete Wishart said the cost of the Games had gone from an initial estimate of £1.6bn to £9.6bn - and could rise as high as £15bn.

Delegates in Glasgow hit out at the £150m of lottery money due to Scotland which is being diverted to London to pay for the Olympics.

"The Olympics Games is like some kind of insatiable financial sponge - it just seems to soak up budgets wherever it goes," said Mr Wishart.

Conference delegates voted to back a motion condemning Glasgow City Council proposals to shut schools.

The local authority wants to shut or merge 13 primary schools and 12 nurseries across the city, as part of a savings drive.

Glasgow SNP councillor James Dornan said the consultation on the proposals was flawed.

"This is a significant development in the campaign to make the Labour-run council think again about their decision," Mr Dornan said following the vote.