Image source, Scottish Parliament

The Labour amendment is rejected.

Image source, Scottish Parliament

We move now to the all important decision time.

The Tory amendment is rejected with 31 for  97 against.

Mr Swinney says the Scottish government tried to maintain the benefits of membership of the EU while accepting the UK will leave the EU.

Ms Davidson intervenes saying: "The first minister was always coming to this point and nothing was going to stop her."

The deputy first minister criticises the decision to go for a hard Brexit, which many Leave voters do not want.

Mr Swinney says: "We are being marched step by step to a hard Brexit and over the cliff by a UK government."

He concludes by calling for independence.

Mr Swinney says there is an incompatibility between the outcome of the referendums in 2014 and 2016 which is the justification for calling for indyref2.

Tory MSP Jackson Carlaw says the Scottish government respects neither outcome.

The deputy first minister says the Scottish government respects the right of the Scottish people to choose their future. 

What do the polls say?

In the immediate aftermath of the Brexit vote, there was a bounce in the polls in favour of Scottish independence. But this quickly fell away to leave   levels of support roughly where they were   at the last referendum.

But more recently, an Ipsos Mori poll for STV found that  respondents likely to vote were split 50-50, external  .

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And a BMG   survey for the Herald, external   on the eve of Ms Sturgeon's announcement suggested support for the Union is still narrowly ahead, at 52% to 48%.

The Scottish Social Attitudes Survey found support for independence   at an all-time high   - but it also found the popularity of the EU had fallen, with Eurosceptism higher than ever.

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Deputy First Minister John Swinney starts his speech by echoing the condolences expressed for those affected by the Westminster terrorist attack.

Mr Swinney says he is on the receiving end of hostile and aggressive social media comments.

He says the SNP manifesto was supported by the largest share of the vote since the mid-1960s.

Mr Swinney says it said an independent referendum could be called for if there was a "significant and material change" such as "Scotland being taken out of the EU against it's will".

He says the position of the government is it wants an independent Scotland in the EU. 

Could Scotland remain in the EU if there was a Yes vote?

Ms Sturgeon was asked directly if she backed full EU membership for Scotland, and she cited it as being "SNP policy". There has been debate over this point due to a number of SNP members backing Brexit, leading some to speculate that the party might not commit to full membership.

In any case, there is a distinction to be drawn between Scotland staying in the EU as the rest of the UK leaves, and it rejoining at a later date as an independent country.

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Mr Fraser says many of the Greens' supporters feel betrayed by "the current shower of Green MSPs".

He says the SNP have not respected the votes in the Scottish Parliament,.

Like MSPs before him, he lists the five votes the Scottish government have lost since last summer.

He says the SNP treats votes of this parliament with contempt. 

The Tory MSP says the Greens will betray their own manifesto at decision time and says his party will continue to speak up for the people of Scotland and say "no thanks".

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Mr Fraser says in the last two weeks the first minister has managed to make the prime minister popular in Scotland, which Theresa May achieved by saying no to the first minister.

The Conservative MSP says Nicola Sturgeon has created a situation where the first minister is less popular than Theresa May with the people of Scotland.

He offers his sincere thanks for this.

The Tory MSP says he does not believe there is any mandate in the SNP manifesto for indyref2.

He says the Greens said it would take one million signatures for indyref2 to take place.

Patrick Harvie accuses Mr Fraser of misrepresenting his manifesto. 

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Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser says it is very much to his regret that this has been a "disappointing debate".

He says the last eight hours of debate are the best argument against a second independence referendum.

Mr Fraser says the debate has been "a waste of parliamentary time".

Labour MSP Lewis Macdonald says many people believe a trade deal between the EU and the UK could take until the mid-2020s.

Mr Macdonald says he suspects they, and not Nicola Sturgeon or Theresa May, are right.

He says: "We need to listen to the Scottish people."

Mr Macdonald says he is hearing no demand from the Scottish people for a second referendum.

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First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced plans to seek a second Scottish independence referendum in 2018 or 2019 - but Theresa May has said "now is not the time".   

On Monday, 13 March, Nicola Sturgeon announced her intention to hold   a second Scottish independence referendum  .

She used a press conference at her Bute House residence in Edinburgh to announce plans to seek a Section 30 order for a new vote on the issue, having repeatedly said a referendum was "highly likely" since the Brexit vote in 2016.

The first minister said a referendum is needed to protect Scottish interests in light of Brexit - she said Scottish voters must be offered an "informed choice" between the path the UK government is taking, and independence.

But by Thursday, 16 March, Prime Minister Theresa May has said  "now is not the time"   for a referendum, saying all attention should be on the Brexit negotiations in the coming years.

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Labour MSP Lewis Macdonald says: "The largest democratic vote in Scottish history was a vote to remain in the UK, plain and simple."

Mr Macdonald says the Scottish government proposals in Scotland's Place in Europe were not endorsed by MSPs. 

He says MSPs did vote for Nicola Sturgeon to seek agreement with Theresa May on a common approach to Brexit.

The Labour MSP says his party were dismayed by Theresa May's decision to turn her back on the single market, but were also dismayed by Ms Sturgeon's call for indyref2.

Mr Greer asks where has Theresa May been in striving for unity.

He claims the prime minister has barreled ahead with a reckless approach to Brexit.

The Green MSP says in 2016 the will of the people was to remain in the EU.

He says the Scottish government offered compromise and were roundly ignored. 

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Mr Greer says MSPs should fight for the right of the Scottish people to choose their future.

The Green MSP takes a swipe at Douglas Ross, who has come under criticism for juggling his parliamentary work with being a football linesman.

After struggling to get his microphone to work, Mr Ross intervenes and says as a linesman he is struggling with his card and that's why he uses a flag.

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Green MSP Ross Greer says the debate in 2014 was successful and engaging.

Mr Greer says: "We should try to replicate its successes and not the failures of 2016."

He says the people of Scotland should be given the choice when the details of the Brexit deal are known.

The Green MSP says no questions in relation to Brexit were really answered in advance of the vote.

He says: "Not only did Scotland not vote to leave the single market, but the people of the UK did not vote to leave the single market."