THE SNP has moved to shut down an internal row about its position on Europe, by insisting it remains committed to an independent Scotland joining the EU.

Former First Minister Alex Salmond said there was “confusion” on the part of The Times newspaper, which reported on Monday that the SNP policy had been watered down.

The paper said the party was poised to drop its decades-old “independence in Europe” mantra after the Brexit referendum revealed around a third of Yes supporters voted to Leave the EU.

With staying in the EU a possible handicap to winning a referendum, the paper said the party now favoured Norway-style membership of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA).

Nicola Sturgeon reasserted her desire for an independent Scotland to be in the EU as recently as December, in her proposal to keep Scotland in the EU single market after Brexit.

Her plan said: “As a government we remain committed to EU membership as an independent nation – and are proud to say so,” but added EFTA membership could be a first step to this.

Mr Salmond told BBC Radio Scotland there had been “confusion” in the reporting of the issue.

He said: “If you look at the Government paper before Christmas, it explains how, in the current circumstances, being part of the European Economic Area, like Norway, like Lichtenstein, like Iceland, could be where Scotland ends up and would be a good position, a much better position for Scotland to be in than being out of the single market.

"But the paper also says that our position is for full membership of the European Union.

"That's the policy but the paper argues that in the current circumstances where we can't get everything we want, we're trying to reach a compromise agreement."

Ms Sturgeon’s spokesman also said the government’s policy remained Scotland being both an independent country and a full member of the European Union.

However former SNP cabinet secretary Alex Neil, who voted for Brexit, said yesterday that a change in the SNP’s policy in Europe would be “sensible and welcome”.

He said: “I think it would be a lot easier to join EFTA than reapply for membership of the EU.

“If you had an independence referendum and said it was a vote to remain in the EU, I think you would find it very difficult to find a majority for independence.”

“With EFTA, because it’s a much more limited arrangement and still beneficial, I think you could build a broader consensus in Scotland for an independent Scotland to join.”

Labour Europe spokesman Lewis Macdonald said the SNP was “all over the place”.

He said: “The Nationalists are tying themselves up in knots in an attempt to find a position that they think might help them scrape together enough votes in another referendum.

“The SNP should focus on growing Scotland's economy and fixing the mess it has made of schools and hospitals. It's time for the SNP to bring an end to the political games on Brexit.”