NICOLA Sturgeon has told MSPs that independence is the only way for Scotland to avoid being at the "mercy" of chaotic Westminster governments.

The First Minister was speaking in Holyrood after the Supreme Court ruled that the UK government had acted unlawfully by proroguing parliament for five weeks in the run up to the Brexit deadline.

Sturgeon told MSPs: "As long as Scotland is in the constitutional position we are in right now we are always going to be at the mercy of Westminster governments that we don't vote for taking our country down a path that we don't want to go down. 

"So ultimately the solution for that is for us to become a normal independent nation taking our place with the other independent nations of the EU and the rest of the world."

She told MSPs that Johnson’s behaviour had shamed the UK government, the Tories, and had demonstrated “beyond doubt that Westminster politics is badly broken."

The SNP leader called on Johnson to resign as Prime Minister. 

"It was Boris Johnson who took the decision to prorogue Parliament," said Sturgeon.

"It was Boris Johnson who acted unlawfully, and I do not say this lightly, but it is Boris Johnson who must now resign."

Sturgeon added: "It is of course possible for a Prime Minister to continue in office if they are unpopular.

"It is even possible for a Prime Minister to survive in office if they are not competent.

"But no Prime Minister should believe they can act with impunity and remain in office when they have acted unlawfully in the manner and in the circumstances set out so clearly by the Supreme Court today."

She: "The view that he should resign today is not just about politics - it should be the conclusion of anyone who believes in parliamentary democracy, accountability and the rule of law matter."

She called on politicians at Westminster to make a "clear and unambiguous statement that the law will be respected and the UK Government will ask for an extension to prevent a catastrophic no-deal Brexit on October 31''.

And she said after that, there should be a general election.

"There is in truth no functioning UK Government right now," the SNP leader said.

"It is impossible to have confidence in this Prime Minister or the Government he leads.

"Therefore as soon as the risk of it being used to force through a no-deal Brexit on October 31 has been removed there must be a general election."

Interim Tory leader Jackson Carlaw said the judgement was as “profound” as any in his lifetime. 

He said there was still a possibility of a Brexit deal before 31 October, and called on the SNP to back it. 

Labour MSP James Kelly suggested a search party be called for Tory Secretary of State for Scotland Alister Jack, who, he said, had been "posted missing since he took office and is nothing more than a puppet of the lawless activities of the Johnson administration."