The National To Become Permanent

A new Scottish newspaper supporting independence is to become a permanent fixture after a successful trial.

The National went on sale from Monday as part of an initial five-day run but will now continue after sales beyond the wildest dreams'' of publishers.

An editorial in the paper today thanked readers for their support and disclosed that 60,000 copies were sold on its first day and that about 11,000 people have signed up for a digital subscription to The National.

The newspaper costs 50p and the masthead describes it as ''the newspaper that supports an independent Scotland''.

It is published by Newsquest, which already publishes the Herald, the Sunday Herald and the Evening Times in Scotland.

The Sunday Herald was the only newspaper in favour of leaving the UK in the run-up to September's referendum. Its editor Richard Walker is also in charge of The National.

The editorial in the paper today said: Our first edition sold out. We printed 100,000 copies the following day, and sales stayed at a high level.

They have slipped slightly since - as sales inevitably do after a launch edition. But they remain beyond our wildest dreams and are bolstered by more than 11,000 digital subscriptions.

It's been an incredible - if challenging - week.''

Former First Minister Alex Salmond showed his support for the publication yesterday as he carried a copy of The National on stage as he was named Spectator magazine's Politician of the Year at a ceremony in London.