ALEX Salmond and David Cameron traded blows yesterday in a bizarre row over which referendum result was most likely to guarantee Scotland’s place in the European Union.

First Minister Mr Salmond repeated his warning that a No vote in September's independence referendum risked Scotland “being dragged out of Europe” against its will, due to Tory plans for a UK-wide in-out referendum on EU membership.

Mr Salmond said: “We should not place ourselves in the position of potentially being dragged out of the European Union against against our will, which might be the position if we are foolish enough to have a No vote in this referendum.”

On a campaign visit to Scotland, Cameron hit back that the First Minister was “in a muddle” over Europe.

“If Scotland votes for separation it leaves the European Union automatically,” he said.

“It then has to join the queue to get back into the EU, and there can be no guarantee that that will be a swift or easy process.”

He said his proposal for an EU membership referendum before the end of 2017 was “supported by a majority of people in Scotland.”