 | 'The LibDems were yesterday dragged into an ugly row over Mrs Ewing's death after it was claimed George Lyon, the party's business manager, tried to block speeches in her honour in parliament. Labour sources said Mr Lyon did not want to set a precedent for condolences, and then tried to limit the time of the speeches when he realised he would not get his own way.' Tom Gordon and Robbie Dinwoodie in the Herald, 27 th March 2006. |  |
Politicians from all parties joined hundreds of mourners at the weekend to bid an emotional farewell to Margaret Ewing, the SNP MSP for Moray.
Her funeral service on Saturday had around 500 people pack into St Geraldine's High Church in her home town of Lossiemouth.
Mrs Ewing, who died last Tuesday aged 60, was described as a true "flower of Scotland".
The country's youngest MP when she won East Dunbartonshire in 1974, she was treated for breast cancer in 2002, and had been ill for some time.
George Reid, Holyrood's presiding officer, was among the politicians who joined Mrs Ewing's husband, Fergus, also an SNP MSP, for the service.
However, the LibDems were yesterday dragged into an ugly row over Mrs Ewing's death after it was claimed George Lyon, the party's business manager, tried to block speeches in her honour in parliament.
Labour sources said Mr Lyon did not want to set a precedent for condolences, and then tried to limit the time of the speeches when he realised he would not get his own way.
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