Question: What are the implications for John Swinney's leadership if the results don't go the right way on June 10?

Ian Hudghton: At the last European elections in 1999 we were only 1.5 percentage points behind Labour. We are confidently aiming and campaigning to top the poll this time. John Swinney is the elected leader of the party with a 84 per cent majority of voting delegates in a democratic ballot.

Question: He has pledged that the SNP will be the biggest party in Scotland in the European elections. Is his position in danger if that doesn't happen?

Ian Hudghton: We’re concentrating all of our efforts on achieving that goal. It is entirely within our capabilities and we will see what the result is on the day. Mr Swinney is overwhelmingly supported and he’s leading a very strong campaign.

Question: This campaign is a good opportunity to discuss European issues, but your party has talked a lot about Iraq. Isn't that clouding the issues?

Ian Hudghton: For us this election campaign is about Scotland’s voice, it’s position within the international community. Or rather, it is about what Scotland’s voice could be.

At the moment we are a devolved region in the UK. We have no international relations of our own including no voice at the Council of Ministers table in Brussels.

We want Scotland to participate in the wider international community too. We want to work with the United Nations rather than bypassing it.

We are certainly encouraging Scottish voters to punish New Labour because we believe an illegal war was entered into on the basis of a lie.

Question: Romano Prodi has said that if Scotland got independence it would have to reapply for entry to Europe. Does that worry you?

Ian Hudghton: Roman Prodi didn’t say that. He was answering a parliamentary question put by a Labour MEP, and that question used the example of Algeria overthrowing what was effectively colonial rule, and that was in Africa, not Europe. It was an entirely different scenario.

It’s not the same as a democratically supported decision to re-establish independence, which is what we propose. I have no doubt that we would be welcome in the EU as we qualify in every way under the criteria for membership.

Question: The disruption to trade could cause significant job losses, and re-entry on worse terms. Are you prepared for such possibilities?

Ian Hudghton: It wouldn’t be re-entry. We would inherit the existing obligations Scotland has within the EU. There would have to be a new settlement within the UK, and clearly both new member states would have to face new structural issues, but we would be in a position to negotiate our own priorities.

Question: You’ve said that you want to replace the council tax. What are your alternative proposals?

Ian Hudghton: The council tax is an unfair tax that takes no account of income. It penalises many Scots families as a result. We favour a local income tax based on ability to pay. People on no incomes wouldn’t have to pay anything. That’s the fairest way, and that’s what we advocate.