SNP aims to double up

THE SNP is to launch a campaign to double its membership by attracting almost 20,000 new supporters in the run-up to the independence referendum.

The party, which holds its annual conference in Inverness this week, aims to recruit the new members within the five-year term of the SNP government.

It currently has 18,965 members, a dramatic increase on 2003, when it had only 9,450 people among its ranks.

However, numbers have soared during the party’s years in government at Holyrood, with almost 1,000 joining since the party’s Scottish Parliament victory four months ago, when it won an outright majority.

SNP business convener Derek Mackay said: “Over the conference, we will set out a series of initiatives to increase membership to 38,000 and to welcome new people from all backgrounds to the party.

“From Selkirk to Shetland, the SNP are Scotland’s party and we welcome anyone who wants to see the best for Scotland and who wants to play their part in taking Scotland forward.

“There is a myth that membership of political parties is falling. It may be true in other parties, but it doesn’t apply to the SNP.”