NICOLA Sturgeon is to say she is prepared to negotiate on the timing of a second referendum with the Prime Minister.

The First Minister is addressing the SNP conference today in her first speech since Theresa May and the Tories said they would reject any request for a referendum before the UK leaves the EU.

She is expected to tell the Prime Minister the decision is for the parliament and the people of Scotland but she is prepared to discuss when a vote could be held.

She refused to rule out holding a consultative, non-legally binding referendum stating her intention was to seek powers for a legally binding vote.

In her speech today she is expected to say:“Next week, in line with the mandate secured at last May's election, we will ask the Scottish Parliament to agree that the Scottish people should have the right to choose our own future.

“We will ask Parliament to agree that this choice should be exercised at a time when we know the terms of Brexit but before it is too late to take a different path.

“And we will ask Parliament's permission to seek the legal authority that will allow the people of Scotland to have that choice.”

But after a week of warnings about democracy, sovereignty and mandates she is expected to offer a route for the UK Government to agree to a poll.

She added: “If a majority in the Scottish Parliament endorses that position, the Prime Minister should be clear about this.

“At that point a fair, legal, agreed referendum  on a timescale that will allow the people of Scotland an informed choice ceases to be just my proposal, or that of the SNP.

“It becomes the will of the democratically elected Parliament of Scotland.

“To stand in defiance of it would be for the Prime Minister to shatter beyond repair any notion of the UK as a respectful partnership of equals.”

Ms Sturgeon has said the referendum must be held between autumn next year and spring 2019 while the UK Government said not before the people have time to assess the new situation after the UK has left the EU.

Ms Sturgeon will say the timing is not set in stone.

She is expected to say about Ms May, “She has time to think again and I hope she does.

“If her concern is timing then, within reason, I am happy to have that discussion.

“But she should be in no doubt.

“The will of our parliament must and will prevail.”