"Scottish referendum: Alex Salmond says Scotland can afford a glossy prospectus too"

From the BBC:

Scotland can "more than afford' to publish a glossy prospectus purporting to show it as a successful independent country, its first minister has said.

Alex Salmond was speaking as he launched an obviously very expensive study as evidence of the nation's key economic strengths. He said meeting the costs of preparing the document would not have been possible had his government not been able to draw on the country's strong financial foundations, diverse economy, ingenuity and natural resources.

Scotland's electorate will vote in a referendum on independence next year.The Scottish and UK governments have been vying with each other to publish the glossiest and most expensive document to illustrate their cases ahead of the vote, which will be held on 18 September, 2014.

The latest Scottish government paper, entitled Scotland's Economy: the case for independence, was launched by Mr Salmond and Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at a JobCentre Plus office in Falkirk.