By Hannah Rodger NICOLA Sturgeon will make an appeal to those "let down by out of touch Westminster" during the SNP conference today.

Thousands of delegates are expected to attend the party event at Glasgow's SECC this afternoon.

It will be the last major campaign conference staged by the SNP ahead of May's General Election, and the First Minister will take the opportunity to demand a change in Westminster.

Ms Sturgeon is expected to say: "To ordinary people across these islands who feel just as let down by the out of touch Westminster system as we do, I have a very clear message.

"It is a message of friendship and solidarity.

"As long as Scotland remains part of the Westminster system, we will be your allies in seeking to shake up and reform that outdated and discredited system once and for all.

"Westminster needs to change. To be more responsive to the needs and demands of ordinary people, wherever they are in the UK.

"So to people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, I make this promise. The SNP stands ready to work with you in making that positive change.

"We will pursue policies that will win support from, and make life better for, people in every part of these islands.

"We will demand an alternative to slash and burn austerity.

"Responsible deficit reduction, yes - but cuts that tear at the very fabric of our society, penalise the poor, threaten our public services and stifle economic growth, let me make it crystal clear - those will not be in our name."

A change to the threshold for the Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is also expected to be revealed during the conference, which will see around 3,000 party members attend.

A further 10,000 school pupils will now be eligible for the EMA grant which is given to young people from a low income household.

In addition, part-time college students will be able to apply for the funding.

Meanwhile, the SNP's General Election Campaign coordinator Angus Robertson has described the election as a "tremendous opportunity" for Scotland to make it's voice heard in Parliament.

The Moray MP also slammed the Labour party's spending plans, claiming: " ...left to their own devices, they would continue with £30 billion more Tory cuts and waste £100 billion on renewing Trident nuclear weapons.

"Only a strong team of SNP MPs at Westminster can be a positive force for change, with an economic policy which invests in growth and jobs instead of imposing more cuts."

He added: " And if more anti-Tory MPs than Tory MPs are elected across the UK, we can lock David Cameron out of Downing Street five years before he wants to go.

"This General Election is a tremendous opportunity for Scotland to make its voice heard at Westminster like never before - with real influence and power that only a strong team of SNP MPs can bring."