WINNIE Ewing, the legendary Scottish independence campaigner and former SNP MP, has died aged 93, her family has confirmed.
Ewing, who would have turned 94 on July 10, is the mother of MSPs Fergus and Annabelle Ewing.
Born in Glasgow in 1929, Ewing made headlines after winning the 1967 Hamilton by-election for the SNP.
"Stop the World, Scotland wants to get on," she declared after her victory, in a quote that has gone down in history.
A statement issued on behalf of her family said: “Mrs Ewing, generally considered the most important Scottish politician of her generation, served as an MP, MEP and MSP, and was the first presiding officer of the reconvened Scottish Parliament in 1999.
“She sparked the revival of the SNP’s fortunes, which continue to this day, with her victory in the Hamilton by-election of 1967.
“Mrs Ewing died on Wednesday aged 93, surrounded by her family.
“She is survived by children Fergus, Annabelle and Terry, and grandchildren Natasha, Ciara, Jamie and Sophie. She also had a deep affection for daughters-in-law, Fiona and Jacqui. She was a loving and devoted wife to Stewart Martin Ewing, who died in 2003, aged 76.
“It would be appreciated if the family could be accorded privacy at this time.”
While not the SNP's first-ever MP, that was Robert McIntyre after the 1945 Motherwell by-election, Ewing was credited with propelling the party into the political mainstream.
Madame Ecosse served in three parliaments over her career, including reconvening the Scottish Parliament after it was set up 1999.
Ewing lost her Hamilton seat in 1970, but gained another place at Westminster representing Moray and Nairn in the 1974 elections.
Ewing lost that seat in 1979, but was soon after elected a Member of the European Parliament for the Highlands and Islands. She served as an MEP for two decades.
In 1999, Ewing became part of the first delegation of MSPs ever elected. She represented the Highlands and Islands region again until 2003, when she stepped down.
Ewing was also president of the SNP from 1987 to 2005.
