The SNP has overtaken the Tories to become the second largest party by membership in the entire UK, new figures suggest.

It is the first time SNP membership has ever exceeded that of the Conservative party, pushing it into third place.

The largest party in the UK by a considerable distance is Jeremy Corbyn's Labour party, which was recorded in April as having more than half a million members.

House of Commons Library data shows the SNP membership has just under 125,500 registered members, compared to 124,000 for the governing Tory party.

The boost in recruitment for the nationalists means that around one in 35 Scottish adults are now members of the SNP.

The party saw a surge in applications following the Westminster walkout by SNP MPs over the so-called Brexit "power grab" against the devolved administrations.

Ian Blackford, who leads the SNP at Westminster, refused to sit down during Prime Minister's Questions after the debate on the devolution amendments in the EU Withdrawal Bill was only allocated 15 minutes.

A House of Commons Library spokesman tweeted: "The latest available data shows that membership of the SNP (August 2018) has surpassed the latest reported figures for the Conservatives (March 2018)."

SNP business convener Derek Mackay said: "Over 7000 people joined the SNP in just five days in June, propelling us ahead of a waning Tory party which is at risk of imploding completely over Brexit.

"Like the extraordinary membership surge of 2014 joining the SNP has once again become not just a powerful symbol, but the best way to ensure Scotland's voice is heard.

"People were rightly outraged at Tory plans to remove powers from the Scottish Parliament, and that only 15 minutes were given over at Westminster to debate the impact of the EU Withdrawal Bill on devolution."

He added: "A new poll today suggests that voters are being driven away from the despair and chaos of Brexit towards that positive vision for Scotland, with a majority now backing independence."