NICOLA Sturgeon was last night urged by Labour to "get on with her day job", after it emerged she was heading to Brussels to address a think-tank about the process Scottish independence.
The Deputy First Minister is due to speak at the European Policy Centre on Tuesday about how Scotland would become a full EU member in the event of a Yes vote next year.
The visit is part of increased efforts by the SNP Government to engage directly with key EU players after being rebuffed by European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso last month.
The trip also follows the appointment of an outside adviser on the EU, Professor Drew Scott, whose job is to help ministers avoid previous blunders such as wrongly claiming EU entry would be automatic after independence, when it would actually be subject to wide and detailed talks.
Striking a conspicuously more pro-European tone than David Cameron, Sturgeon is to use her first speech in Brussels to say: "A 'Yes' vote... will give the Scottish Government a democratic mandate to negotiate with both the UK Government and EU. Scotland will start negotiations in autumn 2014 as a nation whose people are already EU citizens and as a nation whose membership would therefore require minimum change to existing arrangements.
"Our intention to remain outside Schengen, retain the pound and keep Scotland's share of the UK rebate will simply be a confirmation of the status quo in terms of our relationship with the EU."
Labour whip James Kelly said: "The minister - should be at home trying to create jobs for the 11,000 Scots no longer in work. Europe for the SNP is the hole Nicola can't stop digging and she would be better getting on with the day job."
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