A man has been arrested after trying to break into parliament via the scaffolding around Elizabeth Tower.

Police said the man jumped over a railing at the Carriage Gates entrance before climbing scaffolding that is in place for the refurbishment of the tower, which houses Big Ben.

He was arrested for trespassing. The incident is not being treated as terror-related and no weapons were recovered.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “Police have dealt with a man climbing on the scaffolding at the Palace of Westminster. Officers were called at 11.32am to reports of a man acting suspiciously near Carriage Gates. When officers located the man, he climbed over the fence and climbed the scaffolding to the roof of the palace.

“The man was arrested at