Alison Johnstone

Former First Minister Alex Salmond has led tributes to SNP politician Winnie Ewing at a memorial service in Inverness.

Known famously as Madame Ecosse,.

She became Scotland 's first SNP female parliamentarian After Her shock victory at the Hamilton by-election in 1967.

Mr Salmond told The Service in Inverness Cathedral Mrs Ewing was " the true radical spirit of Scotland ".

He added: " Winnie's commitment to Scotland was instinctive, heartfelt, her Scottish nationalism The Product of a loving family upbringing even through the turbulence of wartime Scotland .

" Her real achievement was to tilt the Axis Of Scottish politics, to put Scottish independence on the map and help define it as a positive, forward-looking, internationalist force.

" All That and to have the genius to define it in one single phrase ringing through The Years ; 'Stop The World - Scotland wants to get on'".

Mr Salmond ended by saying The Poet Hugh Macdiarmid had once described Robert Burns as " the true radical spirit of Scotland " and said that is " exactly how we should remember Winnie Ewing ".

A second eulogy was given by former Scottish Government Health Secretary Alex Neil Who Said Mrs Ewing had " changed The Face of British politics forever".

First Minister Humza Yousaf , Scottish Parliament Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone and Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch MSP Kate Forbes all gave readings.

Mr Yousaf earlier told Bbc Scotland that Mrs Ewing had been a " colossus of our movement".

He added: " It is actually hard to put into words just what an impact she has had not just on the SNP, The Cause of independence but on the country as a whole.

" She is immortalised in our party and our movement. "

Other attendees included former Scottish Government finance secretaries John Swinney and Derek Mackay , as well as ex-health secretary Jeane Freeman .

Scottish Conservatives leader Douglas Ross was also at The Service and said that Mrs Ewing had served the Highlands well during her time as a parliamentarian.

He added: " She was a trailblazer not just for the Independence Movement but also for women in politics. "

As well as serving in both the UK and Scottish Parliaments, Mrs Ewing was also a member of the European Parliament from 1975 to 1999, becoming known as Madame Ecosse and being given the title Mother of the European Parliament .

In July 2001, she announced her intention to Stand Down as a list MSP for the Highlands and Islands ahead of the Scottish Parliament elections.

Mrs Ewing is Survived By three children and four grandchildren.

Source of news: bbc.com