SCOTTISH Labour has lost nearly a quarter of its membership since the start of the war in Iraq, and looks set to be overtaken by the SNP as the country's biggest party.
New figures, to be released this week, show the former dominant force in Scottish politics now has just 18,000 fully paid-up members, compared to the list of 23,000 in 2002.
Membership has slumped by nearly half since the high point in the mid-Nin
eties when, on the cusp of power and led by a popular Tony Blair, the party had more than 30,000 signed-up members.
However, the latest drop in Labour's figures means the SNP could soon become the largest mass membership party in the country.
It has 14,000 members, up from 9,500 in 2003. If the current trends continue, the SNP would overtake Labour in 2010, in what would be a further major shift of power in Scottish politics.
Labour chiefs claimed last night their membership was "stabilising", but party sources warned that membership was haemorrhaging in many parts of the country, following the party's defeat in the 2007 election.
They blame the fall-out from Iraq, and the growing disgruntlement in Scotland over New Labour's performance in government both in Edinburgh and London.
The figures come as the party prepares for its annual Scottish conference in Aviemore in two weeks.
The full article contains 238 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
