Nicola Sturgeon urged to rule out second independence vote after Brexit paper

"Our country is divided enough already without seeking even further divisions. Labour will not support any plan to force another independence referendum on the people of Scotland.

Read more: Nicola Sturgeon unveils options for protecting Scotland's place in Europe after Brexit

"We will study the government's Brexit proposals in detail, including the practicality of delivering different solutions for different parts of the UK.

"Scottish Labour is very clear that we want the UK to retain access to the EU single market to protect jobs and the rights of workers in Scotland."

Ms Dugdale reiterated her call for a people's constitutional convention and a new Act of a Union.

The Scottish Greens claim the Scottish Government's paper on Brexit plans presents a "compromise which would probably result in around 40,000 lost jobs and a £1,000 drop in average wages in Scotland".

They urged Ms Sturgeon to proceed with legislation for a second referendum, predicting Prime Minister Theresa May will reject all the options put forward by the Scottish Government - an "act of contempt" to end the union.

Green external affairs spokesman Ross Greer said: "This work from the Scottish Government is the most detailed plan on any element of Brexit published anywhere on these islands.

"That being said, while Greens accept that few options remain available to Scotland, this represents a huge compromise on the government's part.

"The reality is that just under two in three people in Scotland voted to stay in the European Union and the options presented today fall well short of that.

Read more: Nicola Sturgeon unveils options for protecting Scotland's place in Europe after Brexit

"Indeed, this compromise would probably result in around 40,000 lost jobs and a £1,000 drop in average wages in Scotland.

"These plans are the maximum limit of compromise, so if the Westminster government fails to accept them, it will signal clearly that Scotland's interests and wishes are to be ignored completely.

"This would be an act of contempt that would likely end the UK's fragile union.

"It is clear that the only way to guarantee our European future, defend workers' rights, environmental protections and our freedom of movement is as an independent nation within the European Union."

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said: "This whole report is one expensive exercise in Christmas window-dressing as the only option the First Minister really wants to succeed is Scottish independence.

"The First Minister has ruled out keeping the UK in the EU, which breaks her promise to consider all the options.

"Instead of fiddling around with ever more complex and confused fragmented arrangements for Scotland, the SNP should get behind the campaign to keep the whole of the UK in the European Union. That is the best and simplest option for Scotland and the UK."

He called on the SNP to back a Brexit deal referendum.

Read more: Nicola Sturgeon unveils options for protecting Scotland's place in Europe after Brexit

Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson accused the Scottish Government of putting forward "evidence-free assertions" and said a separate Scottish deal would create a trade barrier between Scotland and England.

She said: "Nicola Sturgeon talks about compromise but written in black and white in her own report is her true intention - she wants independence in Europe.

"If she truly wants the best Brexit deal, she should be pulling together with other parts of the UK, not trying to split the country up.

"We cannot see how the SNP's plans for a separate Scottish deal, or independence, will deliver that. Simply put, all the evidence shows that it would create a trade barrier at Berwick."

Many organisations representing Scotland's health, business and higher education sectors welcomed the Scottish Government's publicising its plans.

Liz Cameron, chief executive of Scottish Chambers of Commerce, said: "We want Scotland's businesses to be seizing every available opportunity to grow their exporting potential and businesses have told us that they value tariff-free access to the EU single market as one of their top asks from government in the forthcoming negotiation process.

"The EU as a whole represents the largest market for Scotland's goods outside of the UK and the ability for firms to export profitably to it is of major importance to our future prospects for growing the Scottish economy."

She also called for future flexibility in immigration and for the UK Government to "unilaterally guarantee" the right to remain and work for the estimated 181,000 EU nationals resident in Scotland, a position echoed by British Medical Association in Scotland chairman Dr Peter Bennie.

He said: "It is welcome that the Scottish Government's paper today seeks to protect the right of EU nationals to continue to work in Scotland but it remains a real source of concern that the Westminster government still refuses to clarify its intentions towards EU nationals who are already working in our health service.

"The last thing that the NHS in Scotland needs is for the recruitment and retention problems it already faces to be made significantly worse through any loss of medical staff caused by this ongoing uncertainty."

RCN Scotland director Theresa Fyffe said: "Brexit presents an additional challenge to safe staffing levels and workforce planning in the coming years.

"Scotland, like the rest of the UK, depends on the contribution of EU nationals working in health and social care, and it will be important to continue to be able to rely on that contribution in the future."

Professor Andrea Nolan, of Universities Scotland, also emphasised the importance of free movement of people.

She said: "The Scottish Government's paper clearly sets out the importance of Scotland's higher education sector's relationships with Europe.

"Our priorities in the negotiations relate to the continued free movement of student and staff talent, and access to and influence over European research funds and collaborations.

"It is helpful to see these so clearly identified as one of the many priorities of the Scottish Government in this document."

Law Society of Scotland president Eilidh Wiseman said: "The Scottish Government is also right to use this paper to set out how further devolution to the Scottish Parliament may be required.

"There are particular issues about our legal system and constitutional arrangements which will need careful consideration once EU powers are repatriated.

"It is clear the Scottish Parliament may need increased devolved powers affecting justice and home affairs, environment law, farming and research."

Friends of the Earth Scotland director Richard Dixon said: "We welcome these proposals from the Scottish Government, which clearly put protecting our environment and co-operation on reducing climate-change emissions at the heart of Scotland's position on Europe.

"If we really are embarking on the risky adventure of leaving the EU then this is a good set of proposals which safeguard many of the benefits of our current European membership including environmental protections, free movement of people and consumer rules that protect us from harmful chemicals in food and other products."

Pressure group Change Britain supporter Anne-Marie Trevelyan said: "Politicians should be straight with the public that membership of the single market means giving the EU control of our borders, laws, money and trade.

"They should respect the public's decision to take back control from Brussels, stop trying to undermine the result and get on with the job of delivering Brexit."