ALEX Salmond will tomorrow use the same venue Margaret Thatcher set the Conservatives on the road to Euroscepticism to declare an independent Scotland would be an enthusiastic "lynchpin" member of the EU.

The First Minister will outline Scotland's markedly different approach to the EU in a speech to the College of Europe in Bruges. "Scotland shares and promotes the values of solidarity, freedom and democracy that are the heart of the European project," he will say.

In 1988, in one of the defining moments of her time as Prime Minister, Mrs Thatcher used a speech at the College to end the Conservatives' reputation as the "party of Europe", and take them in a more hostile direction.

Keen to reassure other nations that the break up of the United Kingdom would not threaten EU stability, Salmond will stress the contributions an independent Scotland could make to the EU, focusing on energy and fishing.

With some of Europe's biggest fishing grounds and 12 national fleets in Scottish waters, he will tell his Belgian audience EU fisheries policy would "unravel without Scotland".

He will add: "One of the great issues facing Europe is the question of energy security. In this area Scotland is blessed. Scotland has fully 25% of Europe's offshore wind and tidal potential. We have 10% of the EU's wave potential. We have 60% of the EU's oil reserves."

A Scottish Tory spokesman said: "For all Mr Salmond asserts that Scotland is the lynchpin on Europe, there are many member states nervous about the threat of their own separatist movements.

"A vote for separation in September is a vote for uncertainty, doubt and erosion of all that Scotland holds as a constituent of the UK."