FIRST Minister Nicola Sturgeon has paid tribute to the former Glasgow Labour MP Maria Fyfe after her death at the age of 82.

Maria, considered a “trail blazer” for women’s representation in politics, passed away this morning following a short illness.

She was first elected to the Maryhill constituency in 1987, and was a passionate anti-poverty campaigner across the city long after she stepped down in 2001.

Maria was the chair of the “Remember Mary Barbour” campaign which fought for a memorial to the rent strike organiser to be built in Glasgow.

Responding to Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard during FMQs, Sturgeon described Maria as a “feminist icon”.

“Can I take the opportunity to also express my condolences to the family, friends, colleagues, including those in the Labour Party, on the sad passing of Maria Fyfe,” the First Minister told the Chamber.

“Richard Leonard rightly said that Maria Fyfe was an inspiration to colleagues in the Labour Party. Can I say she wasn’t just an inspiration to colleagues in the Labour Party, I of course all of my life have been in a different political party, but when I was a young woman starting out in politics she was one of the very few women on the front line of politics and she was a feminist icon then that I looked up to. Didn’t agree with on everything, but very much looked up to and found her example inspirational.

“I think many of us, particularly women in politics today and of course many others owe her a great depth of gratitude and I want to pass on my thoughts and condolences to everybody who loved her.”

READ MORE: Tributes paid after former Labour MP Maria Fyfe dies

There have been many tributes paid to the former MP this morning. In a social media post, Maria’s family wrote: "She was part of the lives of so many people across the Labour Party and the wider labour movement as well as caring so much for her beloved city and her achievements make us all so proud."

Campaigners also paid tribute to Maria, with Emma Ritch of Engender writing online: "So sorry to hear that Maria Fyfe has died. She was a bold feminist and a great activist for women’s political representation. The work of the 50-50 campaign she was so involved with has shaped @ScotParl."