VINCE Cable has claimed “somebody’s playing games” after a probe was launched into the Scottish Liberal Democrats’ spending in the 2016 Holyrood campaign.

The Electoral Commission is considering if the party’s return was “true and accurate” after receiving a complaint, understood to relate to whether spending was correctly attributed between the party and the candidates.

The Liberal Democrat leader branded the accusation “mischief” and said he was confident nothing would come of the probe.

Cable said: “Our judgment is that somebody’s playing games – this isn’t a real issue.

“The Liberal Democrats followed the advice of the Electoral Commission very, very carefully.

“Somebody’s clearly making mischief – police looked at this and found nothing to pursue. I would be amazed if there was [something to come of the investigation].

“Our people are absolutely confident they have followed the rules and there isn’t an issue.”

The probe comes four months after Scottish prosecutors announced no action was being taken against Liberal Democrat MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton following a police investigation into his campaign spending.

Cole-Hamilton won the Edinburgh West seat from the SNP by 2960 votes in May 2016.

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service concluded in October last year that no proceedings should be taken following a “full and careful” look at the circumstances of the case.

Cole-Hamilton, the Lib Dems’ health spokesman, had fought the Edinburgh West constituency but was also a candidate on the party’s list for the Lothians region.

The Liberal Democrats have previously blamed the SNP for the complaint, who at the time replied by saying “something stinks about the way the Lib Dems go about election spending”.

Cable was at Caledonian Brewery in Edinburgh when he made the comments.

He is in Scotland to urge Nicola Sturgeon to support a vote on the terms of the UK’s deal on leaving the European Union (EU).

The SNP leader has said that while the case for a second EU referendum may become “irresistible”, it is not her party’s policy.

Cable has claimed Brexit poses a threat to Scottish businesses and called on the SNP to “get off the fence” and back a poll on the final Brexit deal.

SNP MP Peter Grant said: “It is extraordinary that as the Tories are dragging Scotland and the rest of the UK closer to the cliff edge of an extreme Brexit, all the Lib Dems want to do is attack the SNP.

“Scotland voted to remain in the EU referendum and the SNP still believe staying in the EU is the best option.

“The Lib Dems, as with the Tories and Labour party, haven’t given any guarantees that if Scotland was to vote for a second time, that we wouldn’t still be dragged out of the EU against our will.”