The Justice Secretary should apologise to police and the public for “the mess” at Police Scotland, Labour have said.

Graeme Pearson, Labour’s justice spokesman and a former Deputy Chief Constable of Strathclyde Police said Michael Matheson should say sorry for the government’s handling of setting up the single force.

Mr Pearson announced a review “To look at the shortcomings over the last four years of planning and execution of Scottish Police Service.

He said there was an “Absence of arrangements in preparation for the force.”

The former police officer said he gives “ground to no-one in the support I give to officers and staff working in difficult circumstances.”

And added: “I object to the inability of government to listen to where they have gone wrong.

The Scottish Police Authority, he said: “failed to hold chief constable to account.

And the Chief Constable was “Pressured into making savings by the Cabinet Secretary.”

Sir Stephen House announced last week he would be stepping down in December this year instead of next September.

The announcement followed criticism after the death of Lamara Bell and John Yuill on the M9 after an emergency call was not responded to.

Mr Pearson said: "Sir Stephen House is a committed public servant, but his position was no longer tenable. He has taken a degree for responsibility for what has gone wrong since the formation of Police Scotland.

"That responsibility was nowhere to be seen in the Scottish Government. Michael Matheson has spent the summer AWOL and used the Chief Constable as a human shield to deflect criticism from decisions that his own government has made.”

Labour has opened a web page and is seeking information and evidence from police, support staff and the public.

Mr Pearson said he wanted help deliver a service that is “world class”.

He said Michael Matheson should apologise this week and acknowledge the Scottish government “did not get it right”.

Mr Pearson added: “Decisions like cutting civil staff, meaning that any extra police which we did see have had to cover extra work. Decisions like the mess made organising the force so it was incapable of accessing tens of millions in VAT rebates.

"Officers are putting their personal safety on the line to keep people safe in the face of brutal budget cuts from the Scottish Government.

"Michael Matheson owes those officers an apology.

"He owes the Scottish people an apology as well. Public confidence has broken down in the police. That isn't sustainable and simply must change.”

Mr Pearson said the Scottish Police authority needed to have teeth.

He said it was unable to call the chief constable to account and as such was a “rubber stamp” and not providing “true governance”.

Mr Pearson’s review is targeting the public, Police Federation, civilian staff unions and Association of Scottish Police Superintendents to provide information.