A LEADING refugee charity expressed disappointment today after MSPs refused to support enfranchisement of asylum seekers in Scottish elections.

An amendment to the Scottish Elections Bill by the Scottish Greens was lodged in a bid to ensure refugees who have had their application to enter or remain in the UK recorded would be deemed as qualifying foreign nationals.

Under the Bill, the franchise would already be extended to citizens of all countries who are legally resident in Scotland.

However the new proposal was questioned by ministers today, who claimed major obstacles to the reforms could not be "wished away."

The amendment, put forward by Mark Ruskell MSP, had been backed by refugees and asylum-seeker support groups which say they should have a vote on policy which affects their lives.

Scottish Refugee Council policy officer Lorna Gledhill said: “We are disappointed that the Scottish Greens amendment to include people with pending asylum claims has not passed.

“The proposed extension of voting rights to people with refugee status is nevertheless a huge step and one we are pleased to see.

“We firmly believe that everyone who makes Scotland their home should have a say in how the country is run.

"Their lives are shaped by policies set in Holyrood and local government – they should have a say on how that happens, like everyone else.”

Mr Ruskell added: "We're talking about administrative reasons why asylum seekers cannot be enfranchised.

"This is about paperwork, it's about administration. I'm not going to let paperwork stand in the way of the rights of citizens who are part of my community."