A Scottish newspaper has roasted Britain’s prime minister on its front page after the publication alleged it was banned from a press conference due to its pro-independence and anti-Brexit stance.

The newspaper, The National, claimed it was banned from attending a press conference Theresa May was hosting at a leather factory in the Bridge of Weir in the west of Scotland.

However, May’s press minders said the newspaper didn’t get an invite due to “limited capacity”.

Not taking the snub lying down, yesterday’s front cover came with a silhouette of the PM and the words, “This is where we would have reported on Theresa May’s visit to Scotland. We were barred from her press conference with the other newspapers, so we have refused to cover it.”

It even includes the famed subbing faux pas “HEADLINE IN HERE, HEADLINE IN HERE”.

Inside the headline read: “Theresa May visits Scotland. We have refused to cover the PM’s trip”, alongside a blank story template including the byline “not by Andrew Learmonth”, its political reporter.

Commenting on the blank front cover, The National’s editor, Callum Baird, said: “They said it was a ‘limited capacity’ and yet this is a factory that employs thousands of people so clearly there must be lots of room on site… We just thought we’re not going to let her get away with this.”

And it appears the paper’s stance has won support from readers supporting a free press. Social media reaction was mainly positive to the publisher and anti the government’s behaviour.