New SNP members

I am not surprised that around 100 people a week are deciding to join the SNP. During the election, there was a lot of interest from those people who support us at the ballot box in becoming members of the party. Most of my family members have been generally supportive of the SNP for years - but have been reluctant to take the step to actually join the party. However, recently three of them decided to join - just like that!

Maybe people now feel more confident about joining the SNP since the election. Perhaps because the party won the popular vote, people are happier to be more committed to or public about their own political affiliations because they know they are far from alone in supporting the SNP.

It may also be a sign of just well the SNP is governing Scotland. To be honest, our ministers are doing even better than I had expected. After all, the SNP has never been in government before and could have been forgiven a couple of initial stumbles in my opinion. Thankfully, though, they have been steady on their feet and steadfast in their determination to blow a wind of change through the governance of Scotland. And the polls show that support for the SNP has increased since the election, and - more importantly in my view - the polls also demonstrate that national confidence has grown too.

As time goes on, and people across the country see the great service they get from their SNP government and local councillors, I'm sure our party - Scotland's party - will go from strength to strength.