The SNP government's Brexit Bill has passed its first parliamentary hurdle at Holyrood after MSPs voted to approve its general principles.

The emergency legislation, dubbed a "continuity bill" by Scottish ministers, is designed to ensure Scottish laws continue to function as normal after the UK leaves the EU.

It comes amid a heated dispute between the devolved and UK governments on the UK's own EU Withdrawal Bill, which the Scottish and Welsh administrations have described as a "power grab".

They are angered by measures in the UK bill which would see some powers held by the EU not immediately passed to them.

The Scottish Government is pushing through its bill despite Holyrood presiding officer Ken Macintosh's stated belief that the Scottish Parliament does not have the power to legislate on the matter.

Scotland's Brexit minister Michael Russell told Holyrood that he was "regretful" the legislation had to be introduced.

MSPs voted in favour of the Bill's general principles by 94 votes to 30, with opposition coming from the Scottish Conservatives who described the proposals as a "wrecking bill" that would cause "chaos".

Russell said he plans to publish the 25 areas in the UK bill where the two governments cannot agree as soon as possible.

He challenged those who questioned proposals in the bill to hand powers to Scottish ministers to bring forward amendments, saying: "This is a job that has to be done."

"I believe we should stand up for the rights of this Parliament because that's standing up for the rights of the people of Scotland," Russell added.

"But I go in to negotiate absolutely determined to get an agreement."

Tory MSP Adam Tomkins claimed the Scottish Government has "traded away leverage", saying: "The UK Parliament is now free to legislate on EU withdrawal even if we do not give our consent to the Withdrawal Bill."

He added: "This bill is unnecessary, seriously flawed, ill-thought through and incoherent.

"That has been compounded by the reckless speed with which the SNP is railroading this legislation through our parliament.

"The bill is also incompetent - our very own presiding officer has told us so. Yet the SNP carries on regardless of the views of the presiding officer, regardless of the rule of law, and regardless of the very devolution settlement it clams to champion.

"It's not a bill for continuity - it's a wrecking bill to cause constitutional confusion and chaos."

However, Scottish Labour and the Scottish Liberal Democrats supported the principles of the bill, with Labour MSP Neil Findlay saying it had his party's "cautious support".

Lib Dem MSP Tavish Scott said the legislation was "necessary but flawed", while the Scottish Greens also backed the bill.

Similar legislation was launched last week by the Labour-led Welsh government.

The presiding officer's judgement against the bill is at odds with his counterpart in Cardiff, Elin Jones, who found its equivalent to fall within the Welsh Assembly's competence.

The Scottish Government's top legal officer, the Lord Advocate, has advised that he believes the Scottish bill can be passed by Holyrood.

If the final version of it is passed, the country's three legal officers will have 28 days to refer it to the Supreme Court.