Swinney vows to govern harder and smarter

The SNP leader will say: “In an era of Westminster cuts, we are going to have to work harder, and smarter, if we are to deliver on our ambitions for Scotland.”

He will promise to, next week, “set out how we can tailor support better to families ensuring they get the help they need, when they need it, to lift those families out of poverty”.

The first minister will concede that “this support – this whole-family support – will not have the immediate impact of ending the two-child cap”.

But he will state: “It is an example of the sustained, smarter policy-making we are delivering in government.”

He will also promise that “even in the toughest of financial circumstances, the SNP will do everything we can to give every single child the best possible start in life”.

The party is meeting after 18 months of turmoil that has seen three different leaders at the helm.

In July’s general election, they lost dozens of MPs.

There is also an ongoing police investigation into party finances.