The SNP is ending a historic year for the party on a high with a record 20,139 card carrying members.

The final membership figures for 2011 show membership has increased by an astonishing 3907over the last 12 months.

Members across the country have been set the challenge of doubling membership from 18,000 in May to 36,000 by the time of the referendum on Independence.

Membership of the SNP has now doubled since 2003 and increased by over 6,000 since 2007.

The SNP is the only major party in Scotland whose membership has grown continuously over this period and is now the largest party in Scotland.

SNP Business Convener Derek MacKay said he was confident the SNP could build a strong grassroots membership movement to take Scotland Forward.

“In May this year over 900,000 people across Scotland voted for the SNP and since then we have seen membership continue to build, making the SNP Scotland’s largest political party.

“The SNP now has a record 20,000 party members . That is an astonishing increase of nearly 4000 members in one year and a sign of the phenomenal support the people of Scotland have given the SNP this year.

“And we are on course to meet the target set this October of doubling party membership in the run up to the referendum on Scotland’s Independence.

“From Selkirk to Shetland the SNP is 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.

“At a time when Labour is hiding the detail of their leadership elections to keep their falling number of members secret the contrast with an SNP that is winning increasing support from people who share our ambitions for Scotland is stark."