Former First Minister Alex Salmond has been arrested and charged.

The 64-year-old is due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Thursday.

It's not yet known what he has been charged with.

STV News understands he is not in custody following his arrest on Wednesday.

A Police Scotland spokesman said: "We can confirm a 64-year-old man has been arrested and charged and a report has been sent to the procurator fiscal."

Earlier this month, the Scottish Government admitted it acted unlawfully while investigating sexual harassment claims against Salmond, which he denies.

Nicola Sturgeon said the news would come as "a shock" to many but added due to proceedings now being live she would not comment in detail.

Speaking to the media before First Minister's Questions, she said: "I know this will be a shock to many people but as Police Scotland have said today, these are now live criminal proceedings

"Now more than ever it would be completely inappropriate for me or anyone else for that matter to comment in any detail.

"I hope both the media and indeed members of the public will understand that position."

Mr Salmond, from Linlithgow, was the Scottish first minister from 2007 to 2014.

He resigned following the "No" vote in the Scottish independence referendum.

Mr Salmond then returned to frontline politics when he was elected as the SNP MP for Gordon in 2015 and became the party's foreign affairs spokesman at Westminster before losing the seat in the snap general election two years later.

Scottish Parliament Presiding Officer Ken Macintosh told MSPs prior to First Minister's Questions: "Members will be aware of reports in the media this morning that the former first minister Alex Salmond has been arrested.

"As I hope members will also be aware, and as applies with all such matters, that means that parliamentary rules on sub-judice apply as this case is now active."