A SCOTTISH Government prospectus for an independent Scotland featured a large image of an English wind farm on the front page by mistake, it has been confirmed.

The First Minister last month presented the first in a series of papers which she said will set out and debate the case for Scotland's independence.

Entitled 'Independence in the Modern World. Wealthier, Happier, Fairer: Why Not Scotland?' it sought to "define the UK model and explain its enduring structural problems".

The paper, which was meant to act as a "scene setter" for independence, formed part of a prospectus for an independent Scotland, addressing the huge potential an independent Scotland will have and the challenges that will be faced after a Yes vote.

There was one problem. It emerged that the front page image actually shows Fraisthorpe wind farm, on the east coast of Yorkshire, near Bridlington.

The Herald:

Before and after.

The Scottish Government has now reissued the document with a very Scottish front cover.

It shows two turbines under a cloudy sky in Scotland captured in Pease Bay in Berwickshire.

The Scottish Government said: "On initial publication, our contracted publishing print and design agency used a reputable stock image website to source a picture a Scottish wind farm for the paper. While the image used was tagged on the stock image website as being in Scotland, we now understand that image may have been mislabelled and, as a result, we updated our publication online."

The launch came after Ms Sturgeon’s SNP won the 2021 Holyrood election on a manifesto which included a commitment to hold another referendum on Scotland’s place in the UK once the Covid crisis had abated.

The SNP did not win a majority of seats in the Scottish Parliament in that election, but voters having also returned a record number of Green MSPs created a pro-independence majority within Holyrood.

The SNP leader has repeatedly made clear she wants a referendum before the end of 2023 – despite fierce opposition from the UK Government to such a vote taking place.

The document unveiled at a press conference at her Bute House residence in Edinburgh argued that a range of small countries were wealthier and fairer than the UK on a range of measures and this showed Scotland would be better off independent.

Scottish Conservative South Scotland MSP Sharon Dowey said: “There will be red faces all around in the corridors of the SNP-Green Government at this embarrassing mistake."