Scotland's first minister Henry McLeish resigned today.

The news was given to the Scottish parliament by the parliament minister Tom McCabe. He said: "I would like to inform the chamber that the first minister has this morning written to Her Majesty the Queen and yourself [Presiding Office Sir David Steel] indicating he intends to tender his resignation."

McLeish will make a statement in parliament at 2.00pm this afternoon.

The House of Commons fees office will ask McLeish to repay most or all of the money he claimed for constituency expenses while he was an MP, according to today's Times.

The demand for £27,000 would be in addition to the £9000 he has already paid back, after he admitted not declaring rent received for sub-letting a room in his constituency office since 1987.