The Scottish Greens will “support” transgender MSP Q Manivannan to secure a new visa, enabling them to serve a full term at Holyrood.
Co-leader Gillian Mackay confirmed Dr Manivannan – one of two transgender Green MSPs elected this week – will need to apply for a visa renewal.
Dr Manivannan, an MSP for the Edinburgh and Lothians East region, is reported to have lived in Scotland since 2021, with speculation on social media they are in the UK on a student visa.
Asked if Dr Manivannan – a self-declared “queer Tamil immigrant” – is able to serve the full five-year term at Holyrood, Ms Mackay told BBC Scotland’s Sunday Show: “There will have to be a renewal of Q’s visa.
“That is a process they will have to complete over the session of Parliament.”
She stressed the Scottish Parliament had “specifically passed legislation to allow people like Q to be able to stand and be MSPs”.
Pressed on the prospect of the new MSP being refused a renewed visa by the Home Office, Ms Mackay said: “I don’t think it is likely that will happen.”
She said the Greens will do “anything we can do to support Q” with the renewal process.
Dr Manivannan was one of 15 Greens MSPs elected in what was the party’s best ever election result.
Ms Mackay said her party had “returned some fantastic MSPs”, adding: “I can’t wait to see what they are all going to achieve this session.
“I am actually interested in what we can deliver for Scotland, making sure we do push for those things that do put money back into people’s pockets, that tackle those twin crises of the climate emergency and the cost-of-living crisis and make sure that Scotland is that kinder, fairer place.”