Just a day before Britain kick-starts Brexit proceedings, the Scottish parliament is Tuesday expected to dismiss Prime Minister Theresa May's overtures and back calls for a fresh independence referendum.

The attack has not, however, put the brakes on Britain's EU divorce, with May vowing to stick to her timetable of invoking Article 50 of the European Union's Lisbon Treaty Wednesday and thus triggering two years of Brexit negotiations.

The SNP leader has suggested an independence vote should be held by spring 2019 at the latest -- before Britain leaves the EU -- although after winning the backing of Scottish parliament she needs approval from London for a referendum to take place.

Despite May's assertion that she will seek the best Brexit deal for all of Britain -- including Scotland -- she has failed to convince the SNP which has warned of the negative consequences of leaving the EU.

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