 | 'The party leaders described the SNP member for Moray as "a bonnie fechter, an outstanding member of parliament, a gutsy straight-talking woman, a lass o' pairts, well liked and widely respected".' John Knox, BBC Scotland political reporter, 24 th March 2006. |  |
The flags flew at half mast at Holyrood this week to mark the death of Margaret Ewing.
The party leaders described the SNP member for Moray as "a bonnie fechter, an outstanding member of parliament, a gutsy straight-talking woman, a lass o' pairts, well liked and widely respected".
She died at her home in Lossiemouth on Tuesday, aged 60, after a long battle against breast cancer.
She became part of the SNP's Ewing clan when she married Fergus Ewing, the MSP for Inverness, and thus became the daughter-in-law of the veteran nationalist Winnie Ewing, Madame Ecosse.
Back in 1974, as Margaret Bain, she won a sensational victory for the SNP in East Dunbartonshire.
For the last 20 years she has represented Moray, first as an MP at Westminster and then as an MSP at Holyrood.
She was due to retire at the next election to concentrate on her international aid work. She recently led the Scottish Parliament's delegation to Malawi.
MSPs crammed into committee room two to pay their tributes.
The blue tables have been set up in this vaulted space for the next few weeks while the main chamber roof is repaired.
There's still no word from the engineers as to when the fallen beam will be replaced and the other 59 given their safety harnesses.
Return to home page