Sturgeon's mission as FM: tackling poverty and inequality

The extra hours would apply to three and four-year-olds and eligible two-year-olds, and would equal the time children spend in primary school each year.

The policy is expected to cost £400 million a year to deliver, with additional upfront capital costs of £600m to build new nursery spaces.

Sturgeon also promised NHS revenue spending would rise above inflation in each year of a third SNP term, and the small business bonus scheme helping 100,000 firms would run for another five years.

The childcare pledge is a cut-down version of a promise in the SNP's White Paper on independence promising a "transformational" change in childcare for one-to-five year-olds after a Yes vote.

That was intended to raise £700m a year in extra tax as more women returned to work, helping to finance the policy. However, during the referendum, Sturgeon said such a transformation was only possible with the powers of independence, otherwise the cost would require "cutting other services".

Her officials admitted the new pledge was "a significant commitment" but said the Government would be able to pay for it.

There were few of the rhetorical fireworks her predecessor Alex Salmon specialised in, but Sturgeon's first conference speech as SNP leader was sure-footed and substantial.

She set out a series of measures designed to entrench the party's reputation for social justice and ultimately help it replace the Labour Party as the dominant party of the centre-left.

She told 1200 delegates in Perth: "Tackling poverty and inequality - and improving opportunity for all - will be my personal mission as First Minister."

She said she wanted the SNP to be known "as the party of economic and social progress" as well as constitutional change, adding: "In the 20th century, that progressive spirit was the province of a radically reforming Labour Party. Those days are gone.

"Labour may have abandoned social justice. But in the SNP, the people of Scotland will always know they have a party of true social democracy."

Referring to the last female leader to rule over Scotland, Sturgeon - who will be sworn in as First Minister on Thursday - said: "Where Mrs Thatcher divided society, I want to do the opposite.

"I want to unite the country in a national endeavour to give every child - no matter their background - the best opportunity in life."

Sturgeon also said the SNP would push for more people to be paid a living wage, and that when the Government set out its legislative programme in a fortnight it would include "radical action" on land reform, empowering communities and raising attainment in schools.

There would also be steps to tackle "some of the deep injustices of our society, like domestic abuse and gender inequality".

Sturgeon paid warm tribute to her mentor, describing Salmond as an "outstanding First Minister" who improved the lives of millions of Scots.

"He is a hero of our movement and a champion of our nation," she said.

Paying their tribute, the audience gave Salmond three standing ovations.

"I haven't finished with him yet," Sturgeon joked as the crowd again jumped to its feet.

Besides setting out the philosophical direction of her leadership, the speech also highlighted the SNP's political mission - to trounce Labour in the General and Holyrood Elections.

Sturgeon said Labour had "lost its soul" in the referendum by campaigning with the Tories and becoming a "roadblock" to progress.

"They've got no positive case to make, so they will fall back on the same desperate mantra as before.

''You've got to vote Labour, they'll say, to keep the Tories out. That is the biggest con trick in Scottish politics and we must not fall for it again.

"Scotland did vote Labour at the last General Election, but we still ended up with the Tories.

"What we will need are strong SNP MPs who will stand up to the Tories, challenge the despicable politics of Nigel Farage and fight Scotland's corner." She said if there was a hung parliament the SNP would "never, ever put the Tories into government", but might support Labour in order to extract more powers for Holyrood.

A Labour government reliant on SNP support would have to rethink austerity cuts and renewing Trident, she said. She urged non-SNP supporters to "lend" the party their votes to ensure the Westminster parties delivered on their "vow" of extensive new powers for Holyrood.

"Vote SNP and the message we will carry to Westminster on your behalf is this: Scotland's interests will not be sidelined. Not now, not ever." She gave no clue as to when she would like to see another referendum, but insisted independence would become a reality.

"Our country is alive, engaged, restless for the next stage of our journey ... 1.6 million Yes votes for independence is an achievement our forebears could only dream of. But it becomes our base camp and from here the summit is in sight.

"The challenge is great, but our determination is even greater. Because the prize is prosperity, equality, opportunity. The prize is independence."

Opposition parties pointed out that Sturgeon had previously insisted that dramatically expanding child care required independence.

In January, she said: "Let me be crystal clear why independence is required to deliver this transformation: the costs of providing increase childcare with devolution would have to be met from within a fixed budget - by cutting other services."

Scottish Tory deputy leader Jackson Carlaw said Sturgeon's tone was "bitter".

He said: "She has to get over it - the SNP lost the referendum - and that's it.

"It's also puzzling to see the SNP commit to things that were supposedly only possible in the utopia of a separate state."

A Scottish Labour spokesman said: "We are pleased that Nicola Sturgeon has finally recognised that her Government needs to take action now on improving childcare, protecting the NHS and introducing a living wage.

"It's just a shame that for the last three years her Government said this wasn't possible without independence."