First Minister Alex Salmond has told the SNP’s party conference that they have never been closer to achieving independence for Scotland,
Mr Salmond made the claim as he warned that parties who oppose an independence referendum could suffer at the ballot box.
Speaking at the start of the annual conference in Inverness, the First Minister said: "Do parties in Scotland really believe that the people of Scotland will give them their vote if they refuse to give the people of Scotland a vote on the constitutional future of the country."
This year also marks the SNP's 75th anniversary, and Mr Salmond told delegates: "In our 75-year history we've never been closer than we are now to our objective of national independence for our nation."
He recalled how 25 years ago many people thought Scotland would never have its own Parliament, but added that had been achieved 10 years ago.
Mr Salmond also said that five years ago "most informed opinion" was that the SNP would not be able to form the Government.
"Most informed opinion said we couldn't possibly manage that, it was beyond the scope of the SNP to make that sort of advance in a single election campaign," the First Minister said. "But in 2007 the SNP became the Government of Scotland."
He added that stage three of Scotland's journey as a nation would be "going from that platform of a devolved Parliament, that platform of a Government in that Parliament, to achieving national independence".
Mr Salmond also said the conference would be a "launch pad" for the Glasgow North East by-election and for the forthcoming general election.
He told the conference: "In that election our objective is clear - we're going to make Scotland's voice heard. We're going to see a platform, a Scottish block of at least 20 Scottish National Party MPs. If we obtain that then Scotland's voice will not only be heard but Scotland's demands will be answered."
The First Minister also hit out at the Westminster Government for failing to allow an SNP minister to be part of a crucial climate change summit in December.
Mr Salmond claimed that he received a letter from Prime Minister Gordon Brown which stated that "Scotland - as part of the United Kingdom - will be represented ministerially by Ed Miliband", the UK Climate Change Secretary.
