ATTITUDES to Scottish independence have almost completely reversed on the continent after the country voted to remain in the EU, the MEP vying to become Nicola Sturgeon's "freelance, roving sherpa" has claimed.

Alyn Smith, launching his bid to become the SNP's deputy leader, said that many Europeans had been suspicious of the independence push ahead of the 2014 vote but he had found that "an almost total inversion" had occurred since last month's referendum.

Saying many Europeans now understood why some want the country to become independent, he added: "There is a recognition that we voted to remain, there is a recognition that we expect something different. Whatever that something different is, remains to be seen. But Brussels is good at this sort of stuff. There are ways that can be found. That will come down to political goodwill, which I believe absolutely firmly exists in spades for us."

Mr Smith, first elected in 2004, won a standing ovation in the European Parliament when he urged fellow MEPs not to "let Scotland down" following the EU referendum, which saw Scotland vote overwhelmingly to remain but the UK vote to leave.

He said he would not "close off any option" to retaining links with Europe, including something short of EU full membership for Scotland. However, he also declared at another point: "We need to make clear, to ourselves as a party, to Scotland and to the wider world, that we choose Europe as our future, Westminster is our past. We will never win in Westminster."

Making his pitch, Mr Smith said he now had time to devote his energies to exploring Scotland future relationship with Europe, in a way that other candidates to become deputy leader did not. He also spoke of his "friends" and contacts on the continent, arguing winning the SNP's deputy leadership would add weight to his continental charm offensive. He claimed he was offering his services to "be a freelance roving sherpa for Nicola" by selling Scotland to Europe.

Asked about what currency an independent Scotland might use, Mr Smith said he was "pragmatic" and that he understood the party is reconsidering options.

He added: "Let's not tie ourselves in knots about things that are, at present, hypothetical. Sterling was viewed as a solid prospect quite recently. Look at where it's gone. A friend of mine went to Ibiza just the other day and had to pay £210 to get 200 Euros."

Mr Smith was introduced by Richard Demarko, the 86-year-old Scots-Italian artist who said that Scotland needed at least 100,000 more immigrants from Poland. While Mr Demarko praised the MEP as a "extraordinary man", he said following the event that was not a member of the SNP, adding: "I'm not a nationalist."

Other contenders for the deputy leader role are Westminster group leader Angus Robertson, MP Tommy Sheppard and Inverclyde councillor Christopher McEleny.

Mr McEleny yesterday made a pitch to left wing SNP members, saying: "I am a socialist. I believe in an independent Scottish republic. If elected as Deputy Leader I would use this mandate to further establish the SNP as a left wing party in Scotland, further enhancing our position as the party of social justice, fairness and equality of opportunity for all in Scotland."