I have spent my life standing up to divisive politics, but the summit John Swinney has organised today risks looking like the establishment talking to itself. What isn’t on today’s agenda is the fact that the SNP’s political failure is the root cause of the rise of divisive politics in Scotland. John Swinney has been at the heart of the SNP Government for the best part of two decades. Scots have put their faith in his party and have been rewarded with a government that always refuses to accept responsibility, deflects blame at every turn and pretends that meaningful change is impossible. That is what opens the door to the easy answers of Farage and his kind. Most Scots agree that our country needs a new direction. We can only get that new direction if we remove the SNP from office and elect a Scottish Government that really delivers for Scots. But the fact is that SNP failure has left many Scots feeling disenfranchised and like politics and the economy does not work for them. And it’s no wonder. If you can’t get an NHS appointment when you need one, your child is facing violence in school, and you can’t get on the housing ladder - it’s hard to feel like the people in power have your back. That’s why this summit cannot look like the Scottish establishment coming together to protect itself. What we need is action to tackle the root causes of polarisation and disenfranchisement. I firmly believe that Scotland’s best days lie ahead. As First Minister, I will unlock the potential of all the people of Scotland, fix the NHS, save our public services, and tackle poverty at its root. The buck will stop with me. The SNP cannot meet the challenges of today, never mind tomorrow. They are tired, divided, and out of ideas. After nearly two decades in power, if they were going to fix things then they would have done so by now. Even Nigel Farage himself admitted that a vote for Reform will only help the SNP. It’s only Scottish Labour that can replace the SNP. Without a new direction for our country and a government that takes responsibility, we won’t tackle divisive politics at its root and make Scotland a better place. That’s what we can deliver together. To sign up to the Daily Record Politics newsletter, click here