Scotland's police watchdog has been accused of sexing down its report on officers with guns.

The Scottish Police Authority (SPA) this week criticised the new national force for failing to communicate on new orders allowing its small team of armed men and women to carry out routine duties.

However, Highlands MSP John Finnie - who first flagged up the change in policy - said he believed its criticism had been toned down.

Mr Finnie said: "I understand that this report, which I was told would be available weeks ago, was delayed due to Police Scotland, who were given early sight of the report, demanding it be rewritten.

"I have to say that the whole tone suggests that is the case and I look forward to seeing Police Scotland's official response to the SPA's report within the correct timeframe."

Mr Finnie, a former police officer who sits as an independent after leaving the SNP, believes the SPA should have investigated the policy itself, not merely its "public impact".

The Liberal Democrats and Labour's Graeme Pearson, a former senior officer, agreed.

Mr Pearson said: "The problem wasn't spin, it was governance and accountability."

The report had initially been expected to be published before Christmas. Justice sector insiders acknowledge that a draft was shared with other stakeholders, including the police and the government, to check facts.

The SPA has been urged in the past to prove its independence from the police. Iain Smyth, the conservative councillor who led the guns investigation, this week insisted that his report had demonstrated such independence.

SPA chairman Vic Emery has previously said he does not see his authority's role as "some sort of frustrated headmaster waiting for an opportunity to apply six of the best".

Some outside the SPA had suggested the authority may use the guns issue as a way of setting down a marker, even if this was unfair. This is not accepted within SPA.

Those close to the process insist there was no changes have been made to the substance of recommendations or findings of the report.

Its full evidence, including work by independent opinion pollsters, has been published.

Police Scotland made no comment on Mr Finnie's remarks, saying the report was a matter for the SPA.