IT is a very curious attitude displayed to the European Union by Alex Orr in your letters page (December 1), especially on the part of an SNP candidate for next year's elections to the European Parliament. He defends Alex Salmond's stance on withdrawal from the Common Fisheries Policy when it is clear that you cannot withdraw from the CFP without withdrawing from the EU.

Is withdrawal from the EU now Scottish Nationalist policy and Mr Orr's policy going into those elections? If it is not, I challenge Mr Orr, Mr Salmond and their colleagues in the SNP to explain how they would negotiate British withdrawal from the CFP. The question is simply a diversion from the crucial fisheries negotiations coming up this month.

This might be the best the SNP can come up with but our fishermen deserve better.

Richard Baker, MSP,

The Scottish Parliament.