Police are investigating an allegation of sexual assault made against former North Lanarkshire council leader Jordan Linden.

Mr Linden, whose resignation as council leader led to the collapse of the SNP administration in the area, stepped down from the council and left the party earlier this year.

The Sunday Mail newspaper reported that five men have made allegations regarding the former leader, with two speaking to detectives.

Mr Linden told the newspaper he did not accept the allegations which had been made against him.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Officers are investigating a report of a sexual assault incident having taken place in 2017. Enquiries are at an early stage and ongoing.”

On Saturday, SNP leader Humza Yousaf was campaigning in Bellshill ahead of a by-election triggered by Mr Linden’s resignation from the council.

He said the party would investigate how it handled complaints regarding Mr Linden.

Several councillors have also left the SNP’s group in North Lanarkshire to sit as independents.

Mr Yousaf admitted the SNP’s issues in the area “could have been handled better”.

He said: “We’ve got a great local candidate here.

“We’re absolutely holding our hands up – I, as First Minister and leader of the party, say that things of course could have been handled better.

“That’s why we’ll do the investigation.

“What we’ve got here now in North Lanarkshire is a Labour council propped up by, frankly, the Conservatives, and that’s not serving the people of this area well at all.”