The Scottish Greens are expecting a membership boost from SNP supporters dissatisfied by the reversal of the party's anti-Nato policy.

The SNP adopted a new stance that an independent Scotland should become a member of the pro-nuclear weapons organisation, after a motion was put forward at its autumn conference.

It was opposed by several members, including MSPs John Finnie and Jean Urquhart who have since resigned from the party. The Greens are committed to unilateral nuclear disarmament and reject membership of Nato should Scotland become independent.

In an interview with the website Scotspolitics, Green co-leader Patrick Harvie said: "Not all of them (the disillusioned SNP members) will join the Greens. I know some of them will.

"I don't know whether our party office has received applications to join yet but I know there are people who have been on social networks talking about it and who feel that way, and they will be very welcome."

The Green MSP also commented on the row about EU legal advice. The Scottish Government admitted last week that no specific legal advice was taken on entry to the EU in the event of a vote for independence. Mr Harvie said: "The SNP have been very effective at portraying themselves as a competent group of people you can trust, and this seriously undermines it."