 | 'We come here today to pay our sincerest and honest respect, give our condolences and to pay tribute to someone who was exceptionally special to Scotland. She was a true flower of Scotland.' John Knox Reverend Thomas Bryson, 25 th March 2006. |  |
| 'We come here today to pay our sincerest and honest respect, give our condolences and to pay tribute to someone who was exceptionally special to Scotland. She was a true flower of Scotland.' John Knox Reverend Thomas Bryson, 25 th March 2006. | |
Scotland's political leaders have attended the funeral service of Scottish National Party veteran Margaret Ewing in Lossiemouth.
The 60-year-old, who served the Moray area as an MP and MSP for almost 20 years, died after a long illness.
Colleagues from across the political spectrum paid tribute to the contribution she made to public life over the last 30 years.
Former SNP leader John Swinney said she was a "flower of Scotland".
The Scottish Parliament's Presiding Officer George Reid was among the mourners, as were SNP leader Alex Salmond and his deputy Nicola Sturgeon.
Mrs Ewing became MSP for Moray in 1999 but stood down from her Westminster seat in 2001 to concentrate on Holyrood.
She underwent treatment for breast cancer in 2002 but returned to Holyrood later that year.
She was married to Fergus Ewing, the MSP for Inverness East and son of Nationalist stalwart Winnie.
The Reverend Thomas Bryson began the service by reading the opening words of Flower of Scotland in tribute to Mrs Ewing.
He told mourners: "We come here today to pay our sincerest and honest respect, give our condolences and to pay tribute to someone who was exceptionally special to Scotland. She was a true flower of Scotland."
The minister said there was no greater champion of Scottish independence and recalled how Mrs Ewing had converted his assistant, a Londoner, to vote SNP.
'Kindness and warmth'
He added: "I asked her how she got on with Jack McConnell and she said 'I'm getting there, but I need a little help from God'.
"To many, Margaret was a politician but to this community and this church she was simply Margaret. The person we knew was part of our town, part of Lossiemouth, part of Moray," said Mr Bryson.
Former SNP leader John Swinney delivered a eulogy to the politician he first met 23 years ago.
"She struck me that night as a kind, warm, determined and courageous person," he said.
"And at no stage in the intervening 23 years of our friendship did my opinion of Margaret change.
"Those values of kindness, warmth, determination and courage shone through the bright, fulfilling life that Margaret lived all her live.
"Margaret was wise and Margaret was fun. Maggie, you were a flower of Scotland."
The service ended with another Scottish anthem as Mrs Ewing's coffin, draped in a Saltire, was taken out of the church as the congregation sang Scots Wha Hae.
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