The contrast could not have been more stark. One political leader faltering in front of her party conference, the other in command of it.

Nicola Sturgeon has, of course, expressed sympathy for Theresa May's coughing, P45-interrupted, logo letter-dropping speech.

But despite that, it is hard not to draw comparisons between the performance of these two leaders at their respective party conferences.May was already under pressure and even had the triple disasters not struck her would, many observers believe, have struggled to assert her authority over the Tory party.

On the other hand, so in command is Sturgeon she could have survived the arrival of a small hurricane at the Glasgow conference centre and still emerged in total command.

But although the comparisons are telling it is worth considering where the First Minister and her party stand after their three-day conference, particularly in relation to their core belief of independence.

Ms Sturgeon's speech contained a long list of what she and the SNP claim are their achievements in ten years of government at Holyrood.The Borders railway, for example, was cited as something that they had delivered. And they have. Getting on with the day job, to turn their Unionist opponents jibe on its head.

There were a series of ambitious, and in some cases radical, announcements of what the SNP plans to do in the several years left to them.

Setting up a publicly owned power supplier to rival the 'big six' is certainly radical and, if it can be done and work, could potentially drive down energy prices.

Increasing nursery provision across Scotland is another policy that politicians of all parties have long advocated and the SNP is pledged to deliver.

A promise to give everyone super-fast broadband is another policy which few would disagree with and has potentially significant economic benefits.But (and there is always a but) these policies raise two serious questions for the SNP.

The first, and more immediate, is how will they pay for the childcare, the broadband and other spending commitments like ending the public sector pay cap?

It is clear the answer is by putting up taxes, as Holyrood now has responsibility for income tax rates and bands.

What we do not know is by how much and exactly how the SNP will do this, though we do know all the other parties at Holyrood bar the Tories back a tax rise.

In the longer term the problem for Ms Sturgeon and the SNP is how, and when, they get to their objective of having a second independence referendum.

There was a fiery speech today at the conference in Glasgow from MP Mhairi Black making and old-school religion (SNP-style) case for independence.

Party deputy leader, the now former MP Angus Robertson said to huge that there would be a second independence referendum.

The implication from Mr Robertson was that indyref2 would be before the next Holyrood election in 2021, though he did not state that in terms.In her speech Ms Sturgeon was more circumspect, some might say cautious.

She argued the last Holyrood election gave the SNP a mandate for indyref2, though it is worth noting the Nationalists did not win an outright Holyrood majority.

The First Minsiter added:

"But exercising it (the mandate) must be done with the interests of all of Scotland at heart. People want clarity about Brexit first. We respect that." Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland

She said:

"But to all of you here in this hall and across our country who are impatient for change, let me say this. We may not yet know exactly when the choice will be made. But we can, we must, and we will always make the case for independence." Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland

The context for this is that the First Minister moved swiftly after the Brexit vote to say Scotland needed a second independence referendum, thinking leaving the EU would reignite support for independence. It didn't.

So what she has told her party is that she will continue to make the case. No surprise there, she's a life-long nationalist.

What she has not told them is when she will call that referendum and whether it will be before or after the 2021 election, when the SNP would, the party hope, have a new mandate for leaving the UK.

SNP activists left the conference satisfied with that. They love their leader, some worship her. They trust her.

What we simply don't know is how they would react if her final decision, once details of Brexit are clear, is to put off indyref to beyond 2021.