Kezia Dugdale addressed the Scottish Labour Party at its conference in Glasgow on Saturday.

Her remarks will be the last major speech she gives before the Holyrood election officially kicks off next week.

And the rallying cry to the Labour faithful appealed to activists to remember the party's mission to change society for the better of ordinary people.

Dugdale spoke extensively about what drove her in politics and the kind of Scotland she wanted to see.

There were also hints at some of the policies that will be featured in the party's upcoming manifesto.

STV's digital politics and comment editor Stephen Daisley analyses the speech below.

That's not been an easy question to answer in recent years. But Kezia Dugdale is clearly trying to position her party to the left of the centrist SNP. Her conference speech contained a number of initiatives designed to appeal to progressives.

Here are a few examples:

Waiting times are an SNP weak point that Scottish Labour hopes to highlight during the election. And given the delays and bureaucracy faced by users of primary health care, this initiative might prove popular with the voters. But will it be enough to cleave them from the Nationalists?

Labour figures it can make life uncomfortable for the SNP on fracking. The membership is dead set against it but have had to settle for a mere moratorium while ministers decide what to do. By ruling out the controversial extraction method, Labour gives itself some more definition.

The most fluid section of the speech came when Dugdale distinguished her politics from that of her opponents. It wasn't a dry, technocratic argument about resource management or narrow policy differences.

Contrasting her political motives with those of nationalists, she told delegates: "I didn't come into politics to help those at the top of Scottish society, just because they are Scottish. Nor would I turn my cheek to a child living in poverty just because they are born on the other side of a dotted line on a map."

Instead she painted a gentler image of Scotland's people and their character. It was still a touch too "we love Scotland too, you know" but needs must when nationalism runs amok.

The Nationalists' business convener Derek MacKay said: "This speech showed why a vote for the SNP is so important to keep Scotland moving forward. On the day the opinion polls showed Labour lagging behind the Tories these are simply empty promises from a party that openly admits it is campaigning for second place and has abandoned constituencies across the country.

"These elections really matter because they decide who will be trusted with the health service, our children's education and growing the economy. Electing an SNP government with Nicola Sturgeon as First Minister will allow us to truly transform Scotland for the better.

"By using both votes for the SNP the people of Scotland will get a government with clear plans to tackle inequality, support public services and invest in jobs. All Labour have to offer is the threat of tax hikes on low-earning households.

"With Labour split from top to bottom on everything, and the Tories tearing themselves apart on Europe - only the SNP has the strength, unity and vision to keep Scotland moving forward."

May is going to be a difficult election for Scottish Labour. If things go really badly and they slip into third place behind the Tories, it will be nothing short of catastrophic for the party. Kezia Dugdale needed to prepare her troops for a fight against the most ruthless, effective opponents they have ever faced in Scotland. Her conference speech tried remind the grassroots why they are in politics. In the end, though, it is likely to prove futile as the SNP steamrollers to another landslide victory.

Analysis by Stephen Daisley, STV's digital politics and comment editor. You can contact him at stephen.daisley@stv.tv.