Nicola Sturgeon: No campaigners 'jeopardising' Scotland's place in the EU

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said that campaigners who want Scotland to remain part of the UK are "jeopardising" the nation's future in the European Union.

Ms Sturgeon was speaking to MSPs calling for Holyrood to be granted the power to stage a second independence referendum and said that the time of a referendum should be for Holyrood to decide.

During the debate Ms Sturgeon's calls were argued against by the Scottish Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat Parties who all made clear they will seek to block another referendum.

However, the Scottish Greens, who have six MSPs, said they will back the call for a referendum, meaning that the vote to be held on Wednesday is likely to be passed.

The SNP are asking MSPs to vote and allow them to take forward discussions with the UK Government on the details of a section 30 order - the mechanism to transfer the legal powers for a vote.

In her speech Ms Sturgeon reiterated calls for a second referendum to be held before Brexit takes place.

She insisted that Scotland is "being taken out of the EU against our wishes".

If a referendum was not held, Scots could be forced to accept a "hard Brexit", after spending the next two years "crossing their fingers" and "hoping for the best", Ms Sturgeon said.

"The future of Scotland should not be imposed upon us," she continued.

Prime Minister Theresa May has said ''now is not the time'' for another ballot and has indicated the UK Government would reject the SNP's preferred timetable.

Ms Sturgeon also told MSPs: "Contrary to the promises made by the No campaign before the 2014 independence referendum, staying in the UK hasn't safeguarded Scotland's place in Europe, it has jeopardised it."

She continued that her administration had sought "compromises" with the UK Government over the terms of Brexit, such as keeping Scotland in the single market even if the rest of the UK leaves and more powers for Holyrood.

However, she added that "all of these efforts at compromise - each and every one - have been rejected.

"Indeed, there has been no meaningful attempt whatsoever by the UK Government to explore these options and find common ground."

This raised fundamental questions for Scotland, Ms Sturgeon added, saying: "If the UK Government can ignore this parliament on one of the most fundamental issues that the country faces, what meaning can ever be attached to the idea that the UK is a partnership of equals?"

In response to Ms Sturgeon, the leader of the Scottish Conservative Party, Ruth Davidson said that there was no "clear mandate" for a second referendum, since support for Scottish independence had not increased since the 2014 referendum.

Ms Davidson said "no referendum could take place" before the terms of Brexit were known, and when the costs of independence were not known.

She said people should not be asked to "vote blind" and there was "no will" for a second referendum.

However, Ms Davidson said her argument would "fall on deaf ears" when making her points to the SNP.

Rather than debating an independence referendum, Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale said she would have preferred a two-day debate on education.

She continued: "But, instead, we are back talking about the only thing that has ever really mattered to the SNP.

"Nicola Sturgeon wakes up every single day thinking of ways to engineer another referendum.

"Because leaving the UK is the only thing that matters to her.

"It isn't improving education in Scotland.

"It isn't lifting children out of poverty.

"It's independence. That will always come first and it always has....

"Brexit isn't the motivation for another referendum - it's just the latest excuse."

Ms Dugdale pledged that should another referendum take place "the Labour Party will campaign with everything we have to remain in the UK", adding that a Scotland in the UK was "stronger, richer and fairer" than outside it.

The 35-year-old argued that an independent Scotland would mean £15 billion of cuts, hitting pensioners and the poorest the hardest, and spelling an end to UK defence contracts.