Scottish referendum LIVE: Sturgeon's call for independence referendum AGREED by Holyrood
SCOTTISH MSPs are set to back Nicola Sturgeon’s plans to drag Scotland out of the Union when they cast their ballot in today’s Holyrood vote.
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The Scottish Parliament was set to vote on whether to support the First Minister’s demands on Wednesday, but the debate was cut short following the tragic Westminster terror attack.
Nicola Sturgeon stunned Theresa May this month by announcing her plans for a fresh independence vote some time between autumn 2018 and spring 2019, claiming her requests for a different Brexit deal for Scotland to the rest of the UK had been ignored by the Prime Minister.
The pair engaged in an extraordinary public spat after the SNP leader argued a vote must be held after the shape of the UK's Brexit deal is apparent but before the UK's exit from the EU is formally completed.
It is believed the Scottish Government is likely to win the vote in favour of a second referendum after they secured the backing of pro-independence Scottish Green MSPs.
However, the UK Government is expected to reject calls in the immediate future, with Mrs May saying “now is not the time” to discuss a referendum in the wake of Brexit.
The final vote is expected to come in at 5pm.
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5:10pm Motion agreed -Nicola Sturgeon's call for second Scotland independence referendum has been formally backed by Scottish Parliament
5:05pm MSPs cast their votes, rejecting an amendment from Ruth Davidson and another from Kezia Dugdale
4:45pm John Swinney, SNP MSP for Perthshire North finished off the closing arguments.
He argues Nicola Sturgeon does have the mandate to call the referendum.
He said: “We all know the question of EU membership was a fundamental question in 2014 and the ‘No’ campaign made the point, the way to guarantee Scotland’s membership was to vote no.”
4:15pm Closing speeches have now begun
Mike Rumbles MSP opened by insisting Scotland's First Minister should stop trying to "make a bad situation worse"
4pm Jackson Carlaw Conservative Party MSP highlighted Nicola Sturgeon has lost the majority in Scotland, but remained First Minsister.
He said: “The leader of the SNP has plunged Scotland into an unwanted and unnecessary debate
“We said no and we meant it.
“This is a government enduring defeat after defeat in this place.
“Neither the political or public consent exists.”
The MSP called on colleagues to wait until “Britain has left the EU and the arrangements are transparent” before spending billions on another referendum.
3:45pm Johann Lamont MSP for Scottish Labour gave a fierce speech, telling the Scottish National Party it needs to be “honest” and admit it is using Brexit as an opportunity to “repeat a once in a lifetime vote”.
She said: “I do get there are concerns about Brexit but to paint the EU as a golden citadel of democracy is to deny the concerns of 1m voters in this country.”
Ms Lamont told the SNP Nicola Sturgeon was taking an “opportunity to overturn a vote they (SNP) have neither accepted or respected.”
3:30pm Stuart McMillan for Greenock and Inverclyde called for a “respectful” debate from both sides, insisting the British referendum on EU membership took a nasty turn.
However, he went on to criticise Theresa May, and the British Government’s Brexit negotiations.
The MSP said the Scottish First Minister has shown willing to find compromise with the Prime Minister Theresa May, over the timing of the referendum on Scottish independence.
He said: “The Prime Minister didn’t tell the Scottish Government about triggering Article 50, the Scottish Government found out about it from the media.”
“I think both sides should put facts, figures and vision own the table for the electorate."
2:55pm update: Mr Cole-Hamilton ended his speech by saying: "I still believe in Britain. The best days for the United Kingdom can still lie ahead of it."
2:51pm update: Liberal Democrat politician Alex Cole-Hamilton said he doesn't believe SNP or Greens have met their own tests for a new vote but "if it comes, I will fight it".
2:44pm update: Andy Wightman speaks for the Green Party.
He said although, he respects voters will be "anxious" about another independence referendum, because the "2014 referendum wasn’t the joyous civic carnival that it is sometimes sold as".
But he added: "Today we have a very different situation. We stood on a manifesto to deepen and strengthen democracy.
"We are committed to autonomy, independence and federalism."
Expressing the Green's desire to back Sturgeon's motion, he said Scotland "faces a hard Brexit" and wants the "power in the hands of Scottish people to decide for themselves".
2:41pm update: Ms Dugdale has said independence would be "catastrophic" for the poorest families in Scotland before calling for Ms Sturgeon to "pull up her sleeves" and deal with Brexit.
Kezia Dugdale has torn into the SNP leader, telling her it's "a first independence, last and everything independence when it comes to her agenda".
The Labour politician said Brexit had given the SNP another "excuse to push for a referendum".
She added: "We are divided enough, please do not divide us again."
2:33pm update: The Scottish Conservative party leader said: "We should be pulling together not hanging apart.
"I think the first minister knows the proposal can't work. It is not fair to the people of Scotland. It's the SNP cooking up the same old recipe for division. It might have worked once, but it stinks and the people of Scotland are not buying it."
2:30pm update: Ruth Davidson has laid in to Sturgeon saying her "only real purpose in politics" is to seek Scottish independence before telling Sturgeon to "sit down!" to cheers in Parliament.
2:28pm update: Sturgeon has said she wants the UK to get a "good deal" during Brexit negotiations because its in "Scotland's best interests".
2:22pm update: The First Minister said: "Scotland stands at a cross roads. When Article 50 is triggered change for our country at that point becomes inevitable.
"We do know that the change will be significant and profound. We should have the right to decide the nature of that change and able to charter our own course and create a true partnership of equals across these islands."
2:18pm update: Sturgeon has paid her respects to the victims of the Westminster terror attack.
She said: "Last week this debate came to the a halt in the worst of circumstances. It is worth reflecting on how we all felt ins coming sadness, reminded of common humanity.
"We came together to reclaim our commitment to democracy. "
1:51pm update: The pound has been able to hold its own against the euro - just before Scottish MSPs cast their vote. The news comes despite provocative comments from a European Central Bank (ECB) board member.
1:34pm update: The original Holyrood debate was suspended following the Westminster terror attack as the presiding officer Ken Macintosh, the Scottish version of John Bercow, claimed the incident affected the contribution of MSPs.
1:08pm update: Former First Minister Alex Salmond has been forced to defend the SNP’s stance on another referendum as he was told: “You don’t represent Scotland”.
He was scolded by Ukip’s Deputy Chairman Suzanne Evans for the nationalist’s bid to try and split the 300-year union once again.
In 2014 more than 55 per cent of Scottish voters chose to remain a part of Britain in a vote that Mr Salmond called a “once in a lifetime opportunity”.
12:59pm update: Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale has also opposed a second vote, saying: “Brexit isn't the motivation for another referendum, it's just the latest excuse.”
12:49pm update: Jeremy Corbyn earlier this month spoke about the independence referendum saying there was "no appetite" for a second vote.
The Labour leader said: "The 2014 Scottish Independence referendum was billed as a once in a generation event.
"The result was decisive and there is no appetite for another referendum. Labour believes it would be wrong to hold another so soon and Scottish Labour will oppose it in the Scottish parliament.
"If, however, the Scottish parliament votes for one, Labour will not block that democratic decision at Westminster."
12:41pm update: Theresa May visited Scotland recently, where she vowed to build a “more united nation” as Britain unshackles itself from the European Union.
As she prepares to trigger Article 50 tomorrow, he said the UK would not be “stepping back from the world”.
She said: “We stand on the threshold of a significant moment for Britain as we begin the negotiations that will lead us towards a new partnership with Europe.
"I want to make it absolutely clear as we move through this process that this is not - in any sense - the moment that Britain steps back from the world.
"Indeed, we are going to take this opportunity to forge a more global Britain.
12:27pm update: Ms Sturgeon and Mrs May met for fiery talks in Glasow’s Plaza Hotel yesterday, where the UK PM reiterated “now is not the time” for a second independence referendum.
The Prime Minister was adamant her position "will not change" with regard to Scottish independence, saying Brexit is more important.
12:23pm update: The First Minister has repeatedly come under fierce attack over her bid to break up the Union during a two-day debate in Holyrood.
Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson tore into Ms Sturgeon, saying the “people of Scotland don’t want this”.
She sid: "Most people in Scotland are sick to death of the SNP’s games. They don’t want another referendum any time soon, just three years after the last one.
"But let’s cut to the chase: the SNP’s plan was not actually about trying to hold a fair, legal and decisive referendum. It was about a well-rehearsed game to put forward unworkable proposals, wait for Westminster politicians to point that out, then rush to any nearby microphone – angry face attached – to trot out the same old tired complaints."
'Sit down!' Sturgeon hammered by Davidson in fiery rant
12.19pm update: On day one of the debate, Sturgeon said the people would be given the chance to decide their future, rather than it be imposed on them.
She said: "It would mean accepting that at the end of this process we will not even have the option of choosing an alternative path, and that the direction of our nation will be decided for us.
"I do not consider that to be right, or fair. The future of Scotland should not be imposed upon us, it should be the choice of the people of Scotland."
12.01pm update: Welcome to our live blog. Here will give you the latest updates on today's Holyrood vote, which is expected to see MSP's support Nicola Sturgeon's plans to break up the Union.
Before the debate gets started at 2pm, Express.co.uk will recap last week's events in Scottish Parliament and Nicola Sturgeon's awkward meeting with UK PM Mrs May