Lib Dem MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton says this debate has been playing "only to the hardcore" Yes supporters.

To my fingertips I'm an internationalist but the last thing I want to do is use the loss of one union I can about to jettison another union I care about, he states.

He goes on to criticise what we sees as failures of the Scottish government, ranging from missed waiting times to oversized school classes.

We shall vote against the government motion tonight, he confirms.

Lib Dem MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton says Liam Kirkaldy is 'one of the finest comedy sketch writers in Scotland', he's certainly been grand today as ever.

However despite his stoic sole manning of the press gallery, there are plenty of journalists and members of the public watching online!

Nicola Sturgeon has insisted a second vote on independence is necessary to protect Scotland from the consequences of a Tory Government and Brexit.

Two days before the UK leaves the European Union, the Scottish First Minister said independence is now the only realistic way that Scotland can be part of Europe.

She urged MSPs to back a motion in favour of a second independence vote being held later this year.

As she warned of the consequences of both Brexit and a Boris Johnson Government for Scotland, she said: "Given what the Tories have in store, proposing a further decision on independence isn't simply legitimate - it is necessary."

Image source, Thinkstock

Interim Scottish Conservative leader Jackson Carlaw said the debate was a "ridiculous charade" from an SNP government "divided" over independence.

He added: "If only this government spent the same amount of attention on police and schools as it does on polling and spin, we might have the safest streets and the best schools in Europe.

"Instead of a laser-like focus on education, health and the economy, they all have been sidelined in favour of this first minister's singular priority."

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard said dealing with the consequences of Brexit should take priority over an independence vote this year.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie claimed the first minister's actions were an attempt to appease factions within her own party rather than to push Holyrood to make a decision on the constitution.

But Scottish Green co-leader Patrick Harvie backed the first minister, saying: "Scotland is not being given the respect for that claim of right, that sovereignty that was given to the people, and the only way to change that is for Scotland - the people who live here - to be given the right to make that decision for themselves again."

Here's a flavour of the debate in photos thanks to the Scottish Parliament's Andrew Cowan.

Image source, Andrew Cowan/Scottish Parliament

Image source, Andrew Cowan/Scottish Parliament

Image source, Andrew Cowan/Scottish Parliament

SNP MSP Alex Neil suggests Labour's "only real issue" is the timing of the referendum, in that the party opposes a 2020 vote.

The government's motion says the date will be decided by the Scottish Parliament and does not commit it to 2020, he argues.

There is no reason for Labour not to back it if it accepts the right of the people to choose, he suggests.

The former SNP minister has called for Holyrood to hold its own "consultative vote" on Scottish independence if such a move is declared legal.

Check out his interview on Politics Scotland here.

Image source, Getty Images/PA Media

The UK government has formally rejected a call from Scotland's first minister for a second independence referendum.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said a referendum would "continue the political stagnation Scotland has seen for the past decade".

And he said First Minister Nicola Sturgeon had previously pledged that the 2014 referendum would be a "once in a generation" vote.

Ms Sturgeon tweeted that the Tories were attempting to "deny democracy".

Read more.

Tory MSP Donald Cameron says today is a day for flags and the constitution, not a day for debating the things that affect the everyday lives of the people of Scotland.

Mr Cameron insists the issues that really matter to constituents are falling by the wayside.

Turning to Labour's argument for 'Home Rule', Mr Harvie asks what this means.

And even if it is fully fleshed out it meets the same problem as we have now - the UK says no, he says.

The Scottish Green leader says the approach taken by the UK government has had a deleterious effect on things like tackling fuel poverty, which are impacted by both devolved and reserved policy.

Mr Findlay says policy should be devolved unless there is an overwhelming reason not to.

Mr Harvie replies if Labour had taken this position during the Smith Commission, there is a swathe of legislation which for no reason remains reserved at UK level.

Philip Sim
BBC Scotland political reporter

Image source, EPA

Boris Johnson has rejected Nicola Sturgeon's call for a new referendum on independence in 2020 - but the Scottish first minister says this "will not stand".

The SNP's goal is for Scotland to leave the United Kingdom and rejoin the EU as an independent member state.

Read more.

Scottish Green Party co-leader Patrick Harvie says he is delighted to be able to join with others in reasserting the existing mandate of putting the future of Scotland back in the hands of the people that live here.

Mr Harvie reiterates that the people of Scotland said very clearly they wanted to remain in the EU.

They have repeatedly backed a pro-independence majority of MPs and in 2016 sent a majority of pro-independence MSPs to Holyrood, he argues.

He insists it's the Empire 2.0 fans and the Brexit extremist faction which has taken over the Tories, who are stuck in the past.

The Scottish Conservatives have all thrown their lot in with the Brexit extremists and the Boris regime, and there are no more Tory moderates, he says.

Image source, PA Media

Nicola Sturgeon is expected to set our her next steps for a second Scottish independence referendum on Friday.

She is also opening today's debate on 'Scotland's future'.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has already rejected a request from the Scottish government to hold another ballot.

But the first minister insisted the UK government was trying to "deny democracy".

The combined support of the SNP and Greens mean the debate motion is likely to pass.

We have deep rooted relationships between people north and south of the border, Mr Rennie says.

He points to "turmoil" caused by Brexit, asking people to consider what leaving a 300 year old union would cause.

The Scottish Lib Dem leader says claiming the general election as a mandate for indyref2 is false because 45% is no higher than the votes for Yes in 2014.

The first minister intervenes to ask what would constitute a mandate for an independence referendum.

Mr Rennie replies: "I am not obsessed about independence."

I do not think every day of the week about how to get one, he adds.

"The SNP do not have that mandate," he concludes.

Image source, bbc

Presiding Officer Ken Macintosh asks MSPs to stop the ongoing heckling in a somewhat feisty debate.

Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie wondered if this debate was for him or for the different factions of the SNP to sort out what kind of referendum they would want.

Mr Rennie is intrigued Alex Neil is using Brexit as an excuse for a "wildcat referendum", whereas Kenny Macasklill says we should focus on the day job.

He say: "For a pro-European like me, this is a sad week."

We've had years of division over Brexit and over independence before that, and people area sick of it he argues.

Mr Leonard says the Greens will support this motion today, but he argues this is a move in the wrong direction.

"We should not be putting national boundaries up. We should be pulling them down."

This government should focus its energies on mitigating the impact of the UK government's Brexit deal and establishing a new 'Home Rule' principle, he argues.

The Scottish Labour leader says the real divisions in society are about wealth which is why we must amend and extend the financial powers of this parliament.