A FORMER director of Cambridge Analytica has claimed the controversial firm held meetings with the SNP in London and Edinburgh.

Brittany Kaiser, former director of program development at the under-fire consultancy, made the admission under questioning from SNP MP Brendan O'Hara.

She told MPs on a Westminster committee: “I do know that we have been in pitches and negotiations with UK parties in the past, such as the SNP.”

The revelation – which appeared to visibly surprise Mr O'Hara – comes amid widespread outcry over the company’s alleged misuse of social media data.

READ MORE: Misuse of UK citizens' data was "rife" between Leave.EU and businesses owned by Arron Banks, it has been claimed

Former CEO Alexander Nix was also filmed by undercover reporters boasting of using dirty tricks to influence elections, including manufacturing sex scandals.

🎥 So the SNP had meetings with Cambridge Analytica. The Nationalists must name who attended these meetings,what was discussed and any documents from them. pic.twitter.com/UnciGKUoUo — Kieron Higgins (@HigginsKieron) 17 April 2018

Ms Kaiser said she was not part of the pitches and negotiations with the SNP, but could look through her old emails and “find some names” to find out exactly who had met when.

She said: “I believe that there were meetings that took place in London, where individuals came down from Edinburgh to visit us at our Mayfair headquarters. And then further meetings were undertaken in Edinburgh near the parliament.”

It is not known when the meetings are alleged to have taken place, or who was involved.

READ MORE: Misuse of UK citizens' data was "rife" between Leave.EU and businesses owned by Arron Banks, it has been claimed

Cambridge Analytica is alleged to have harvested the personal data of more than 50 million Facebook profiles without permission during the US election, in order to help Donald Trump win. It has also been linked to the Brexit vote.

A spokesman for the First Minister denied any knowledge of meetings between the SNP and Cambridge Analytica, but said the matter was a "party issue, not a Government issue".

He said: "I'm not even aware of any such meetings, far less any ministers being present."

The SNP has previously demanded full disclosure over alleged connections between the Conservatives and the data analysis firm.

SNP MSP George Adam described the controversy as "staggering" last month, adding: "The reports about the operations of Cambridge Analytica raise very serious questions about our democracy."