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Alex Salmond has been reported to police over sexual assault allegations after two staff members complained about historic behaviour dating back to his time as First Minister.

And the former SNP leader has been accused of carrying out an attack on one of the female employees in the First Minister’s official Edinburgh residence in December 2013.

The allegations - which will send reverberations through the political world - were passed to the police by Scottish Government officials after an internal probe.

A spokesperson for the Scottish Government said: "We can confirm that Alex Salmond has initiated legal proceedings against the Scottish Government and as a result we are restricted in what we can say.

"However, the SG will defend its position vigorously. As a matter of principle and integrity, it is vital that any allegations of harrassment are treated seriously and investigated thoroughly, regardless of the identity of the party involved."

A Police Scotland spokesman added: “Police Scotland is not going to comment on whether an inquiry is ongoing.”

Salmond issued a denial of the allegations last night and revealed he has been engaged in legal action against the Government.

He said: “For many months now, and on the advice of Senior Counsel, I have attempted to persuade the Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Government that she is behaving unlawfully in the application of a complaints procedure, introduced by her more than three years after I left office.

"This is a procedure so unjust that even now I have not been allowed to see and therefore to properly challenge the case against me. I have not been allowed to see the evidence.

“I have tried everything, including offers of conciliation, mediation and legal arbitration to resolve these matters both properly and amicably.

"This would have been in everybody’s interests, particularly those of the two complainants. All of these efforts have been rejected.

“The Permanent Secretary chose to deny me contact with any current civil servant, many of whom wished to give evidence on my behalf and access to documentation to allow me to properly challenge the complaints, all of which I refute and some of which were patently ridiculous.

"The procedure as put into operation by the Permanent Secretary is grossly unfair and therefore inevitably will lead to prejudicial outcomes.

“It is therefore with great reluctance that I have today launched a Judicial Review in the Court of Session which will decide the issue of the lawfulness of the procedure which has been used against me.

"If I lose then I will have to answer to the complaints both comprehensively and publicly.

"Until then I am bound to say nothing which would impinge on the Court proceedings.

"In our submissions on Judicial Review we have asked that the complainants’ identity be protected.

“If the Court of Session finds in my favour then the administration at the senior levels of the Scottish Government will have the most serious questions to answer.

"In my opinion and for whatever reason the Permanent Secretary has decided to mount a process against me using an unlawful procedure which she herself introduced.

"I will let a real court decide whether it was lawful for her to do so.”

Bute House, an A-listed building in Edinburgh’s Charlotte Square is owned by the National Trust for Scotland and is the equivalent of 10 Downing Street for Scotland’s First Minister.

It hosts cabinet meetings and other official business as well as late night functions for entertaining guests and other dignitaries.

The Georgian property also has living quarters for the use of the First Minister when in Edinburgh.

Salmond resigned as First Minister in the wake of defeat in the independence referendum in September 2014 and was replaced by Nicola Sturgeon.

He had served in the role since the SNP’s first Holyrood election victory in May 2007.