BBC Online Friday, 21 April 2006

Mr Brown donated more than £2m to the Lib Dems ahead of the last election.

But a party spokesman stressed there was "no connection" between the charges and Mr Brown's donations.

Mr Brown, a 40-year-old tax exile, is one of Scotland's wealthiest men, with an estimated fortune of about £10m.

He was the subject of an Electoral Commission investigation last year after it emerged he was not registered vote in the UK - despite bankrolling the Lib Dems' election campaign.

Kennedy 'muppets'

But the watchdog later found it was "permissible" for the party to have accepted the cash from the financier's Swiss-based company 5th Avenue.

He later said he gave the money because he believed in then leader Charles Kennedy's ability as a future prime minister "but not the muppets who purport to serve him".

A Liberal Democrat spokesman said: "We are not aware that this has any connection whatsoever with the Liberal Democrats.

"Any further action is a matter for the police and the relevant authorities."

A spokesman for the Serious and Organised Crime agency later said Mr Brown was arrested under a European arrest warrant issued by the UK.

"We can confirm that a European arrest warrant was issued for Michael Brown and he has been arrested by Spanish authorities," he said.

Mr Brown is accused of a number of offences relating to fraud, forgery, and obtaining by deception.

Mr Brown is expected to be flown to the UK to face the charges in about 10 days time.

He made a brief appearance behind closed doors before an investigating judge at the National Criminal Court on Friday, after being flown to Madrid from Majorca.

He told the judge that he was prepared to be taken back to Britain and would not fight extradition. He was ordered to the top security prison at Valdemora, just south of Madrid.