Portrait plea for SNP’s pioneering MP

10 years before they could be considered for a portrait or statue – ruling out most previous SNP MPs.

Now former MPs who are still alive can be considered for a portrait, once they have been out of Westminster for two parliaments.

Gray, MP for Airdrie & Shotts, added: “Scrapping the 10-year rule is sensible. To make Westminster more welcoming to all, its art collection needs to be more representative.”

With the last parliament only lasting from 2015 to 2017, anyone who stepped down or was defeated in 2010 can now be nominated.

And if there were an election in October this year, all those who lost in 2015 would become eligible.

Winnie with her Scottish Parliament portrait in 2009.

Among those now eligible to be nominated for a portrait are Anne Widdecombe, first female Home Secretary Jacqui Smith and the first Muslim MP, Mohammed Sarwar.

A spokeswoman for the Houses of Parliament said decisions regarding

Winnie Ewing rocked the political

world when she won the Hamilton by-election in 1967, blazing a trail for

the SNP. portrait commissions are made by the Works of Art Committee and any MP can nominate a particular individual they feel should be represented.

In addition to portraits, there are a number of sculptures of former politicians in the Pa l a c e of Westminster, including former Speaker Betty Boothroyd; Barbara Castle, the Labour MP who holds the record as the longest- serving woman in parliament; Nancy Astor, the first female member of Parliament to take her seat, and former PM Margaret Thatcher.

In 2009 a portrait of Winnie, painted by David Donaldson, was put on display at the Scottish Parliament.

■

■