THERESA May has faced a backlash after excluding The National from her Glasgow press conference.

The Prime Minister's decision has sparked criticism from across the political spectrum, with even ardent opponents of independence hitting out.

National podcast: Theresa May has gone into hiding

The No 10 press office said "limited capacity" meant they wouldn't be able to invite Scotland's only pro-independence newspaper to her press conference in Glasgow, with SNP MSP George Adam saying it showed May was "running feart".

Arch-Unionist columnist Stephen Daisley wrote: "If No. 10 is deliberately excluding @ScotNational from press events, that is unacceptable. You don’t get to shut out a paper just because you don’t like its editorial line. I would expect @ScotTories to make this clear to their Downing St colleagues.

"Politicians have no business interfering in the operation of a free press. I hope the @ScotNational stands its ground and that its political opponents have the good grace and genuine commitment to free expression to stand with it. @Number10press should clarify this matter soon."

Former Labour and current Scotland in Union spin doctor Alan Roden tweeted: "Along with other journalists, I was barred from an @AlexSalmond press conference in 2014. That was wrong then. If @Number10press is banning the @ScotNational, that is equally wrong and completely unacceptable. I hope this is urgently addressed."

David Leask and Paul Hutcheon, journalists at The Herald, were among those expressing concern at the ban.

Leask tweeted: "Colleagues at @Scotnational have been denied access to the Prime Minister today. I hope @nujscotland and London colleagues can show some solidarity with our paper on this. It's not OK."

The LibDems released a statement condemning the move, describing it as "incompetent".

MP Christine Jardine, a former journalist, said: We all know that there are times when events have to be ‘pooled’, but that’s not the case here and for the PM’s team to leave themselves open to this sort of criticism is incompetent.

READ MORE: LibDems attack 'incompetent' No 10 for banning The National

“Surely when the country is facing the most important decision for generations the Government should want to ensure not only the widest and best coverage, but not allow anything to distract from the issue.

“Brexit is going to have a disastrous effect on the UK’s economy. There is no use in Theresa May defending her deal to an audience of her own picking. Just like it’s not worth her holding a debate on the deal if she isn’t going to allow the Liberal Democrats to present the case for a people’s vote and a chance to exit from Brexit.

“This allows the claim that journalists are being excluded, a tactic previously deployed by Trump and Alex Salmond. That is not acceptable.”

The decision to exclude The National came two weeks after our political reporters were denied a chance to question May's deputy, David Lidington, as he visited Scotland.

The Cabinet Office claimed we were not on their mailing list – but we had received a Cabinet Office statement via email just two days prior about a separate story without having requested it.

READ MORE: The National wasn't given a chance to scrutinise May's deputy

Constitutional Relations Secretary Mike Russell described this latest move as "an utter disgrace", with other SNP politicians echoing those sentiments.

The Prime Minister has travelled north of the Border in a bid to get the public behind her proposed Brexit deal, with Scotland having voted Remain.