The Bonhill-born 42-year-old and has been the leader of the Scottish Green Party since 2003. Politics runs in the family and his mum, Rose Harvie, is convener of Silverton and Overton Community Council.

Mr Harvie told the Reporter his parents have been the inspiration behind his politics. He said: “One of my earliest memories is being pushed in the pram at a Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament march by my mum and dad, and just last week I spoke at the CND march with my parents in the audience.

“My mum has been a green activist for a long time, so because of her I’ve always been environmentally and politically aware. “I was often helping my parents out at the weekend with the projects they were involved in, so there’s always been an attraction to politics.” Mr Harvie said he became more interested in politics at Manchester University where he campaigned for LGBT rights and worked for a Gay Men’s Project at the sexual health organisation PHACE Scotland and eventually joined the Green Party. When elected, Mr Harvie made history as the first openly bisexual party leader in Scotland and the UK.

On Thursday he debated First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, Labour leader Jim Murphy, Tory leader Ruth Davidson, and UKIP MEP David Coburn, but he said TV debates don’t phase him. He said: “I don’t get nervous, I don’t know if that’s good or bad. The environment of a big debate studio doesn’t feel different to local community hustings, questions from the public or school visits. School visits often lead to the most unexpected questions.” Prior to the debate on stage, there was much discussion over whether the Green Party – which has seen a membership surge since the referendum – should participate in the debates, with STV leaving them out, while the BBC chose to include both the Greens and UKIP.

Mr Harvie added: “It’s obviously a huge opportunity to be part of debate for people to hear policies like ours that don’t come from other parties. The six party debate (on Thursday) and seven party debate in Manchester last week demonstrated the political spectrum is a lot broader than the media shows. “This obsessive focus of choosing between two men in suits walking into number 10. It’s a much wider choice. I find anything that broadens the perspective is good for politics.” During the televised debate Mr Harvie, who has been critical on Scotland’s reliance on oil and gas, said the Greens would not support any renewal of Trident. Reflecting on the rise of UKIP and fellow debater David Coburn, the former Dumbarton Academy pupil said when people vote UKIP they are often ‘angry at the political system - and it’s justified’.

He added: “The Green Party want to reach out to them, and say we’re willing to make this better instead of making things worse by pointing fingers, and insidiously creating fear and alienation.” Mum Rose Harvie told the Reporter she was impressed with her youngest son who held his own against the other leaders.

She said: “He’s consistent and he very rarely rises to accusations from other parties, he’s always polite and measured so I can’t ask for more. “He’s very well respected, people stop me in the street and tell me they’ve read his work, or heard him on the radio and they’re impressed. “I do try and watch everything, but he’s so much in the media. He’s doing well, he’s hard working, but takes time to himself, which is important.” When told her son regarded her as an inspiration, she said: “It’s nice of him to say, we’ve always been fairly green. “Patrick was influenced I suppose by our work in the community. When he came back he joined the Green party at a time when people became fed up with old politics. “When Patrick was elected, it was electric. I’m pleased he’s doing what he wants to do.”