Nicola Sturgeon‘s local election campaign launch threatened to fall flat today as she was accused of dodging scrutiny by banning the Press from the event.

The First Minister was compared to Donald Trump after newspaper journalists were blocked from today’s event in Glasgow.

Such a comparison will prove uncomfortable for Ms Sturgeon, who was a fierce critic of the former US president during his time in office.

The SNP is the only Scottish party to impose a ‘Press blackout’ at a formal local election campaign launch event.

It means Ms Sturgeon was not set to face questions on her policies, with journalists instead expected to rely on soundbites issued by her spin doctors.

It was briefed that the First Minister was due to use the campaign launch to attack Boris Johnson’s Conservatives over the cost-of-living crisis.

Want to see more SNP fails? – Transport Matters