North Lanarkshire councillors paid tribute to Winnie Ewing at their scheduled meeting just hours after the announcement of the respected politician’s death.
The former Hamilton MP, who won the constituency seat for the SNP in a fabled by-election triumph in 1967, died on Wednesday aged 93.
Her stellar political career saw her serve at Westminster, in the European Parliament, as SNP president and as one of the first MSPs in the new Scottish Parliament – whose inaugural meeting she convened in 1999.
SNP group leader Tracy Carragher, the Coatbridge South councillor, said at the local authority’s quarterly meeting: “It was with sadness that we heard this news just before we came into the chamber.
“Winnie Ewing has been a titan of the Scottish independence movement, a pioneer who changed the course of Scottish politics forever.
“Our work for a better, independent Scotland rests on her famous words: ‘Stop the world, Scotland wants to get on.’”
Tributes were also paid by Murdostoun representative Cameron McManus on behalf of newly-formed party Progressive Change NL, consisting of eight members who resigned from the SNP.
He said: “I’m glad to recognise the stalwart Madame Ecosse – many people across the chamber will be aware of Winnie’s achievements as she played a part in promoting Scotland across the world.
“I’d like to express our deepest sympathy to Winnie Ewing’s family and acknowledge the loss of a unique Scottish political titan.”
Members of all parties observed a minute’s silence led by provost Kenneth Duffy ahead of the meeting.
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