Political parties urged to prove their candidates can stay in UK

The Conservatives are calling on all other political parties to guarantee their candidates at next year’s council elections can permanently stay in the UK.

Russell Findlay claimed “hostile foreign states” could exploit current rules and “place their own people in local authorities in Scotland”.

The Scottish Tory leader said voters deserved to know if councillors were British citizens or had indefinite leave to remain.

Foreign nationals with limited leave to remain have been allowed to stand in elections since the passing of the Scottish Elections (Representation and Reform) Bill, which every party voted for.

The issue has been brought to the fore following the election of Green MSP Q Manivannan to the Scottish Parliament.

Manivannan, from India, was elected on the Edinburgh and Lothian East regional list despite only having a student visa.

Having recently been awarded a three-year graduate visa, they are yet to secure leave to remain for the duration of the Holyrood term, due to end in 2031.

The Tories have brought forward a Right to Stand Bill at Holyrood Bill to change the rules.

Mr Findlay said: “Our common-sense Right to Stand Bill will ensure only those who can permanently stay in the UK can stand for election.

“That includes next year’s council elections. All other parties who will stand across the country in May must now guarantee that all of their candidates are British citizens or have indefinite leave to remain.

“Those who are only here temporarily should not be making the laws of this country. They shouldn’t be deciding what people’s council tax rates are or what local services to prioritise or cut.

“If parties cannot give these guarantees, then hostile foreign states could seek to exploit these rules and place their own people in local authorities in Scotland.

“This is about the fairness and integrity of Scottish democracy.

“The Scottish Conservatives are proud to make this pledge as we select candidates for next May.

“Will Scotland’s other political parties do the same?”

A spokesperson for the Scottish Greens said: “There are thousands of people with limited leave to remain who live and work in Scotland and have made a home here, including Commonwealth citizens.

“They should be able to stand for our Parliament and councils, just like anyone else who calls Scotland their home.

“All MSPs, including the Tories, backed this change unanimously at the time.

“Now they are cynically seeking to claw back their dwindling support lost to the likes of Reform in May’s election.

“Any roll-back on this commitment would be a regrettable backwards step for representation and democracy.”

During First Minister’s Questions on Thursday, John Swinney said he was “disgusted” with the Scottish Conservative Party.

The SNP leader was asked by Mr Findlay if he agrees that migrants who do not have the right to stay in the UK should not be members of the Scottish Parliament.

Mr Swinney responded: “The only cosy consensus, that I think, (it) is becoming on a daily basis more obvious that Russell Findlay is part of is a cosy consensus between the Tories and Reform, and it absolutely disgusts me that that’s where the Conservative Party has reached.”

Reform Scotland leader Malcolm Offord raised a similar question at FMQs as the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee said the “rationale” for allowing people with limited leave to remain to stand for election to councils and Holyrood is “simply not clear”.

Lord Offord said: “The First Minister will be aware that the Standards Committee have urged the Scottish Government to reconsider allowing foreign nationals with limited right to remain to stand for election, and this is reflecting that 77% of the public who responded to the consultation are opposed to extending candidacy rights to foreign nationals.

“Presiding Officer, the First Minister might choose to ignore a parliamentary committee, but does he intend to ignore the strong opposition of the people?”

Mr Swinney said the comments were an attempt to “spread division”.

He said: “What we are doing is we are correcting an anomaly in a piece of legislation approved by Parliament. I am not ignoring anybody. I am respecting the views and the decisions of Parliament.

“But let’s be candid about what this is about. This is another attempt, a weekly attempt by Malcolm Offord to spread division within this chamber, division within this country to put citizen against citizen, and my Government will have nothing to do with it.”