UKIP leader Nigel Farage has said he is confident his party will win seats in the Scottish Parliament, as a new poll showed a majority of Scots want a referendum on EU membership.

He admitted Scotland had been a "graveyard" for anti-EU party Ukip but insisted its fortunes were changing north of the Border.

He spoke as a poll showed 58% of Scots believe there should be a referendum on Britain's EU membership.

First Minister Alex Salmond has ruled out a vote on Scotland's membership if Scots vote for independence.

The Scottish Government expects to negotiate EU membership between the referendum and the next Holyrood election in 2016, if there is a 2014 Yes vote.

Pollsters Ipsos Mori, who quizzed just over 1000 Scots this month, found 36% against an EU referendum.

Support was highest among Tory voters with 65% and SNP supporters, with 63%, despite Mr Salmond's stance.

Mr Farage said Scotland's independence debate had sidelined the Europe issue.

But he told Holyrood magazine Ukip was selecting candidates for next year's European elections and the 2016 Holyrood poll and added: "We would now expect to get Ukip MSPs and also as European representatives.

"We have established as a party that we are not against devolved powers but discussing the relationship between Holyrood and Westminster is, frankly, irrelevant when half our laws are made across the sea anyway."