An Indian doctoral student from Tamil Nadu who moved to Scotland on a student visa in 2021 has been elected to the Scottish Parliament, prompting discussion about immigration, representation and identity in UK politics.
Dr Q Manivannan, who identifies as non-binary and transgender and uses they/them pronouns, won a seat on the Edinburgh and Lothians East regional list for the Scottish Greens. The results, declared on May 9, make them one of the newest members of Holyrood.
Standing with supporters after the result, Manivannan introduced themself as a “transgender Tamil immigrant” and spoke of bringing a “politics of care” to expand what is possible for those left out or pushed aside. They had moved to Scotland to study international relations at the University of Andrews and was pursuing a PhD when they ran for office.
Before the election, Manivannan had been crowdfunding to secure a Graduate Visa, which would allow doctoral students to live and work in the UK for three years after their studies. Their campaign described them as a politics PhD student, arts worker, co-convenor of the Scottish Green Party’s Palestine Solidarity Group and a former United Nations health and disability worker.
Their election has drawn criticism from anti-immigration voices who oppose rules that let some foreign nationals contest Scottish elections. Robert Jenrick, a former Conservative minister now with Reform UK, said he did not want people on student visas serving as national representatives. Migration Watch called for removing the automatic voting and candidacy rights of Commonwealth citizens.
Manivannan was eligible to stand under a rule that allows Commonwealth nationals, even without indefinite leave to remain or permanent residency, to run in Scottish elections. Scottish Greens co-leader Gillian Mackay said the party will support Manivannan through the visa renewal process they must complete during the parliamentary session.
After the result, Manivannan wrote on social media that if their “mere existence causes this much trouble,” they were eager to see what their words would do. The Greens said the Scottish Parliament had intentionally allowed people like Manivannan to stand to bring care and compassion to Holyrood, and criticized the UK visa system as costly and hostile. The Scottish Greens also made gains in the recent elections across Scotland and in local councils in England.
