Key Proposals from the Upcoming SNP Conference Agenda Revealed

London, United Kingdom Aug 28, 2026 ALN: ABOLISHING the Scotland Office, introducing a land tax, reducing the number of Scottish councils, and quitting the social media platform X are among the proposals on the SNP conference draft agenda.

The document obtained by The National is not a finalized list of what will be debated at the party’s national conference in October. However, it provides insight into the topics that will be presented to SNP members.

Here are nine key points from the SNP’s draft conference agenda.

Scottish Independence

While SNP members have expressed frustration over the absence of a motion on Scottish independence strategy in the draft agenda, two proposals address related aspects.

The first motion calls for the SNP’s ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) to establish an “Independence Commission” tasked with creating a renewed version of the Scotland's Future white paper from the 2014 referendum campaign.

The second motion urges the SNP to focus on developing “clear, accessible, evidence-based resources addressing the economic and practical questions undecided voters commonly ask.”

Land Tax

A motion proposed by Deputy First Minister Jenny Gilruth and Public Finance Minister Hannah Mary Goodlad advocates for a land tax “tailored to Scotland’s needs” to help reduce the unacceptable concentration of land ownership in Scotland.

This motion seeks SNP members' support for the Scottish Government in developing plans for a land tax system based on international best practices.

Oil and Gas Wealth Fund

Another motion, supported by Energy Minister Stephen Gethins, calls for the UK Treasury to allocate “all further income” from Scottish oil and gas resources into a “Future Generations Fund.”

This fund would be utilized to grow Scotland’s renewables industry, support communities that have contributed significantly to Westminster's taxation, and strengthen the supply chain for ongoing investment and job creation in Scotland.

Quit X

Two motions on the agenda propose that the SNP quit X (formerly Twitter), the social media platform owned by Elon Musk.

The first motion pertains only to the party itself, while the second extends to a full withdrawal for all SNP candidates, elected members, the Scottish Government, and nationally owned services like ScotRail and CalMac. It also calls for support of a UK-wide ban on the platform and its associated GrokAI.

Disband the Scotland Office

One motion advocates for SNP members to support the closure of the Scotland Office and the abolition of the Scottish Secretary role (currently held by Douglas Alexander). Any funding saved should be redirected to the Scottish Parliament.

A second motion calls for greater powers for Holyrood, specifically concerning immigration, asylum, and refugee resettlement, asserting that “Andy Burnham’s commitment to devolution must include meaningful further devolution to Scotland.”

Review the Size and Number of Scottish Councils

Currently, there are 32 local authorities across Scotland. One motion suggests reviewing this structure to determine “how big and how many councils there should be.”

This review should be conducted by a citizens’ assembly, which would also evaluate council funding and electoral systems.

Additionally, another motion proposes that councillors who lose their seats receive a parachute payment similar to that given to MPs and MSPs who leave parliament.

Trans Rights and the Equality Act

A motion supported by Kirsty Blackman, the SNP’s chief whip at Westminster, along with various branches and the Out For Independence LGBT+ group, calls for the SNP to advocate for changes to the Equality Act to adopt “a definition of sex which is inclusive of trans and non-binary people.”

The motion argues that last year’s UK Supreme Court ruling, which linked the definition of “woman” to biological sex, is “exclusionary” and urges SNP members to call on the UK Parliament to “override this judgment and enable this and future legislation to be inclusive of everyone.”

Scottish Bonds

A motion proposed by the SNP’s Trade Union Group addresses the Scottish Government’s bond scheme, which allows investors to fund infrastructure projects in exchange for interest payments and repayment at a set date.

This motion suggests that Scottish public bodies should borrow directly from people and institutions in Scotland through retail bonds to fund investments in areas such as council-house building, with interest and repayment supported by rental income. The SNP Government aims to issue its first bonds later this year.

Abortion Law

A motion on the draft agenda expresses concern that Scotland is currently the only part of the UK that has not modernized its abortion laws to remove legal penalties from women under the 1967 Abortion Act, failing to meet international health and human rights standards for access to healthcare.

This motion calls for reform of Scottish abortion law to eliminate criminal penalties for women who terminate their pregnancies and create a health-based framework for abortion care rooted in human rights and equality of access, rather than criminal law.

Another motion advocates for the full decriminalization of sex work.

The SNP conference is scheduled to take place in Aberdeen from October 15-17, 2026, with a party committee set to finalize the agenda before then.