A former Scottish Government minister has compared Scottish Police Authority (SPA) chairman Andrew Flanagan's management style to the Soviet Union.

SNP MSP Alex Neil criticised Flanagan's handling of the police watchdog at a meeting of Holyrood's public audit committee.

The SPA chair,am admitted he did not pass on to fellow board members a letter sent to him from HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary for Scotland (HMICS) Derek Penman criticising the SPA's decision to hold some meetings in private.

Neil called the organisation a "shambles" and told Flanagan "it is not the Kremlin you are running".

Since January, the SPA's four sub-committees have met in private with no agendas, papers or minutes published to the public.

The MSP called the practice a "secret society" where business is done "behind closed doors".

In the letter, the chief inspector said: "This approach seems at odds with your key principle of transparency and your commitment that the authority should be open and transparent and operate to the highest standards of public sector administration and management.

"Effective scrutiny of policing in Scotland is essential in maintaining both legitimacy and public confidence, and the authority should endeavour at all times to demonstrate its competency in performing its statutory functions."

Flanagan told the committee he shares their concerns and the SPA "are listening" to criticism.

He described the authority as being "on a journey" and said improvements have been made.