In the space of a week more than 800 new members signed up to the SNP, increasing national membership by four per cent to nearly 21,000. In Dunfermline the rise has been even greater, with party membership boosted by eight per cent. Dunfermline SNP spokeswoman Fay Sinclair said: “We have seen a steady rise in local support over the last year. People have been encouraged by the achievements of SNP representatives in Holyrood and in Fife Council such as freezing council tax, removing tolls from the Forth Road Bridge and delivering facilities like the new Carnegie Primary School and the refurbished Carnegie Leisure Centre. More and more Fifers share our positive vision for the future and we are delighted to welcome so many new local members.” Membership across the country has more than doubled since 2003 and last October the party set a target of doubling membership from 18,000 in May to 36,000 by the time of the referendum on independence, which First Minister Alex Salmond announced last week he intends to hold in autumn 2014. SNP Business Convener Derek MacKay MSP welcomed the huge support from the public that the SNP has received. Mr MacKay said: “We have been overwhelmed with the support of the people of Scotland over the last few days. “The numbers of people going online to sign up to the SNP is simply phenomenal, one new member every nine minutes. “David Cameron should reflect on the fact that the SNP has 800 more activists just days after his blundering intervention into Scottish politics. Nobody cares more about Scotland's success than the people who live here. That's why they've responded in such huge numbers as they believe the decisions over our country's future should be taken by people in Scotland.”

Contact: Fay Sinclair Dunfermline SNP media officer