Inverness party invitation sparks security alert in Edinburgh

'A suspect package was opened, there was white powder inside' - RUTH DAVIDSON MSP

Invitations to a party to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Inverness Courier newspaper sparked a national security alert earlier today.

Four Highland MSPs received envelopes at their Holyrood offices, and it's understood that white powder was found inside at least one of them when a staff member was opening mail sent to the Tories.

The alarm was raised just before midday after the discovery of what emergency services treated as a 'suspicious package', sparking an evacuation of Scottish Parliament members.

A source within the Conservative Party was asked by MFR News about the package, and was told: 'Invitation from Provost to a party to celebrate 200-years of Inverness Courier.'

Our reporter Bryan Rutherford contacted the local newspaper for more details, and almost half an hour later they replied by email saying: 'No comment.'

Highland MSP Edward Mountain was among the politicians who received the mail, which Police Scotland later decided was not suspicious and told us: 'No crime has been committed."

Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson’s praised the response of staff and emergency services. She said: "What's great to see is that everybody acted in the right manner, and that the reaction from the authorities was great. A suspect package was opened, there was white powder inside, the member of staff phoned the Parliamentary authorities who evacuated that part of the building, they then drafted in the emergency services - who made sure that everything was safe."

Councillor Helen Carmichael, pictured above, is the Highland capital's Provost, but her mobile phone appeared to be switched off when she was contacted by MFR News. We have not heard from Cllr Carmichael since leaving her a voicemail on her home phone