ALEX Salmond has said the SNP still supports an independent Scotland being a full member of the European Union.

The former First Minister denied suggestions the party would change its position on the issue if a second referendum on independence is held following the Brexit vote.

His comments come after it was reported on Monday that senior figures in the SNP would prefer a Norway-style model over full EU membership, allowing an independent Scotland to remain in the single market via the European Free Trade Area (EFTA) and European Economic Area (EEA).

But Salmond told BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme there was "confusion" on the part of the London-based paper which carried the report.

The Scottish Government is currently negotiating with the UK Government over proposals to keep Scotland in the single market as part of the UK through the EFTA and the EEA even if the rest of the UK leaves.

“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."

Senior MEP Philippe Lamberts, of the Greens-European Free Alliance, has warned  against an independent Scotland having a similar arrangement to that of Norway, saying it would mean the country would having to pay into the EU budget and comply with EU laws, yet having no influence over them.