If the UK Government pursues a "hard Brexit" from the European Union the Scottish Government will call for a second independence referendum, the First Minister has said.

Nicola Sturgeon issued the warning to Downing Street in her closing speech at her party's conference in Glasgow.

On Thursday, the First Minister announced she would publish a draft Referendum Bill for public consultation next week.

The Scottish Government will shortly deliver a range of proposals to Downing Street which it wants to get from the UK's Brexit negotiations. It will include calls for further devolution to allow Holyrood to strike international deals and form its own immigration policy.

Sturgeon told conference delegates: "We will work with others across the political divide to try to save the UK as a whole from the fate of a hard Brexit.

"We will propose new powers to help keep Scotland in the single market even if the UK leaves.

"But if the Tory government rejects these efforts - if it insists on taking Scotland down a path that hurts our economy, costs jobs, lowers our living standards and damages our reputation as an open, welcoming, diverse country -

"Then be in no doubt: Scotland must have the ability to choose a better future.

"And I will make sure that Scotland gets that chance."

The SNP leader said if a second referendum does occur it will not be because the result in 2014 had been "disrespected" but because the promises made to the country had been "broken" since then.

Sturgeon said she felt as if a part of her identity had been lost when Leave won the EU referendum in June. She said the feeling has helped her understand better how No voters in 2014 would have felt if Yes had triumphed instead.

Sending a message to Europe that Scotland still wished to trade with the continent was also a key aspect of Sturgeon's conference address.

The First Minister announced a four-point plan to increase exports to Europe. She said Scotland cannot trust Boris Johnson or the secretary of state for international trade Liam Fox to do so.

She said: "So, today I can announce a four-point plan to boost trade and exports, by taking Scotland's message, directly and in our own voice, to the very heart of Europe.

"Firstly, we will establish a new Board of Trade in the Scottish Government.

"Secondly, we will set up a new trade envoy scheme. It will ask prominent Scots to help us boost our export effort.

"Thirdly, we will establish permanent trade representation in Berlin - adding to our Investment hubs in Dublin, London and Brussels.

"And, fourthly, we will more than double the number of Scottish Development International staff working across Europe".

The First Minister said leaving the UK would bring "challenges" to the country but gaining independence would mean the solution to those issues would lie in the nation's own hands.

Sturgeon told conference delegates that "the time is coming to put Scotland's future in Scotland's hands".