Former Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond arrested

Alex Salmond Image copyright PA

Former Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond has been arrested by police.

Police Scotland confirmed that a 64-year-old man had been charged and said a report would be sent to prosecutors.

It is not yet known what Mr Salmond has been charged with. Police had been investigating following a Scottish government inquiry into complaints of sexual harassment, which he denies.

Mr Salmond, who was first minister from 2007 to 2014, could appear in court later on Thursday.

The news comes two weeks after Mr Salmond was at the Court of Session in Edinburgh, where the Scottish government conceded that its internal investigation of the complaints against him was flawed.

The former first minister had launched a judicial review against the government he once led over how it had handled its inquiry, saying he had been treated unfairly.

The case was focused on the government's processes, not the substance of the complaints - which Mr Salmond has denied.

Alex Salmond's political career

Image copyright Reuters
Image caption Mr Salmond was twice leader of the SNP, but quit the party in 2018 after taking legal action against the government