PRAISE has poured in across social media to the newly elected SNP MSP Natalie Don after she gave a “powerful” maiden speech in Holyrood.

Don, who was elected to represent Renfrewshire North and West in May, has been widely applauded for her speech in which she addressed poverty in the UK.

She said: “Poverty is not a choice, and it is certainly not inevitable either. It is a lifestyle that is inflicted on people.

“No child should grow up hungry in Scotland. We have foodbanks and homeless people while the UK spends billions on palaces, boats, and nuclear missiles.

“That’s 21st-century Great Britain for you.”

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Taking aim at UK prime ministers, Don said that Tony Blair had failed to end child poverty, David Cameron had normalised it, and now Boris Johnson “encourages it”.

“We will never see an end to child poverty while we are tied to this UK Government”, Don added.

She called for a second independence referendum in order to deliver the powers necessary to end poverty to the Scottish Government, saying that it could only “mitigate” the problems caused by Westminster under the current constitutional arrangement.

Fellow SNP MSPs praised Don's speech on social media.

Evelyn Tweed, the representative for Stirling, said it had been "brilliant" and "passionate", while Elena Whitham, the MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, said it was "heartfelt".

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Echoing those sentiments, former cabinet secretary Fiona Hyslop commented: "That’s some first speech from @NatalieDon_ in the Scottish Parliament, fiercely passionate about tackling poverty in Scotland."

MSP Jim Fairlie said Don's speech showed the new crop of SNP representatives had the "strength" and "depth" needed to drive towards independence.