THE Westminster government has rejected SNP First Minister John Swinney’s calls for a revival of a Scottish graduate visa scheme.

Mr Swinney had suggested that London and Holyrood could work together to deliver a policy to allow overseas students to remain and work in Scotland for two years after graduation, echoing the Fresh Talent initiative which ran from 2004 until 2008.

The suggestion was welcomed by UCU Scotland’s Mary Senior, who said: “Scotland led the way on post-study work visas 20 years ago.