HOLYROOD bosses have been accused of “outdated ethnic nationalism” by defining a Scot as someone “born in Scotland” in an initiative to name two meeting rooms in the Parliament’s historic Queensberry House building.

The criticism was made by John Finnie, the Independent MSP, who has taken issue with the criterion when it was used to ask MSPs for suggestions about what to call the rooms.

Mr Finnie said it was a “too narrow and conservative” definition and not in keeping with the “welcoming and inclusive” values for which the the Parliament ought to stand.

He added the rule set out by the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, which is in charge of Holyrood’s internal policies such as security, finance and events, would exclude a large number of people who had made a significant contribution to the country.

Mr Finnie is urging the Corporate Body to review the rule and is to write to the Parliament’s chief executive Paul Grice to try to get it changed.

“I hope the Parliament’s authorities rethink these criteria, because they obviously don’t represent the welcoming, inclusive Scotland that Holyrood should stand for. To define Scots as only those people born in Scotland is a very narrow, conservative and frankly anti-immigrant interpretation of Scotland’s past and present,” he said.

“Our country has been shaped by great Scots who weren’t born here, just as Scottish-born men and women have become great figures in the history of countries like Sweden, Canada and the United States.”

He added: “One of the great joys of the referendum campaign was the involvement of Scots old and new – the Yes campaign was about all Scots having an equal stake in our nation, whether they were born in Dingwall or Damascus. It’s a bit sad to see the Parliament reverting to an outdated ethnic nationalism.”

Mr Finnie spoke out after receiving an email from the Scottish Parliament’s facilities management requesting suggestions for names for two meeting rooms in Queensberry House, the 17th century part of the building which includes the Presiding Officer’s office.

The email asked MSPs to respond by the end of January. The initiative followed the naming of six committee rooms after famous historical Scots in 2010.

The email said: “The Corporate Body would welcome suggestions of names from Members (non-attributable) for consideration. As with the naming of the Committee Rooms the following criteria will apply: born in Scotland; no longer living; a key figure in their field; excluding political figures, sports persons and actors.”

While Mr Finnie’s main concern was the definition of Scottish, he was also disappointed Holyrood bosses had excluded “political figures”. He said this criterion could rule out the land reformer and Gaelic poet Mairi Mhor Nan Oran, from Skeabost in Skye, who he had nominated.

“It seems incredible that you would seek to commemorate Scottish achievement but exclude victories like the abolition of slavery, votes for women, and the throwing off of feudalism,” he added.

“My own nomination is the songwriter and land reformer Mairi Mhor Nan Oran. Orginally a nurse, she became one of the greatest-ever Gaelic poets and a pivotal figure in the land reform movement that helped to end landlords’ feudal exploitation of the people and won rights for crofters and tenant farmers.

“Her songs communicated the pain of Highlanders driven from the land that had sustained them and inspired more and more to join the Land League protests and elect pro-reform MPs. As the struggle to reform land ownership and improve tenants’ rights continues in modern Scotland, Mairi Mhor’s influence is still felt to this day.”

Mr Finnie’s concerns were also supported by the Scottish Conservatives.

“John Finnie is quite right in pointing out many ‘Scots’ have made a tremendous contribution to society and weren’t necessarily born here,” said a party spokesman.

The poet Robert Burns, the biologist Sir Alexander Fleming and the philosopher Adam Smith were among the figures chosen for the committee rooms in 2010. All were born in Scotland.

The painter Sir John Lavery, born in Ulster, the architect Jack Coia, born in England, Joseph Black, the chemist, born in France and Charles Edward Stuart, Bonnie Prince Charlie or the Young Pretender, born in Italy, are among the figures who have made a significant contribution to Scotland but were not born in the country.

A Scottish Parliament spokesman said: “The Corporate Body recently invited suggestions for names to be given to the larger meeting rooms located in Queensberry House. Parliamentary officials have asked for nominations by the end of January. The issues raised by Mr Finnie will be considered once the letter is received.”