Overview
- Gillian Mackay, the Scottish Greens co-leader, said Sunday on BBC Scotland that Q Manivannan will need to renew their visa during the Holyrood session.
- The party says Manivannan is lawfully in the UK with the right to live and work in Scotland and will receive help to secure the paperwork needed to serve a full term.
- Manivannan won a regional list seat for Edinburgh and Lothians East on Friday, joining Iris Duane as one of Holyrood’s first two transgender MSPs.
- Reports before and after the vote say Manivannan sought £2,089 to apply for a graduate visa and aimed to save £5,047 for a global talent visa, prompting critics to question their ability to remain in office.
- A 2020 Scottish law lets people on any valid visa stand for Holyrood, but the UK Home Office controls visa decisions, so this case could show how the rule works when an elected member must extend their status.