Jacob Rees-Mogg has said that he will 'pray for his soul' when Patrick Grady MP asked to pay tribute to the life of Alasdair Gray, Glaswegian artist and writer. 

Grady, who is SNP MP for Glasgow North and the SNP Westminster Chief Whip, asked today in the House of Commons: 

"Could we have a debate on my Early Day Motion 87 which pays tribute to my late constituent, the author, artist and prophet Alasdair Gray who passed away on the 29th December and will be very sorely missed byt he artistic community across Scotland and across the world?

Read more: The final interview with the Alasdair Gray

"Will the government pay tribute to this genius of a man, whose work enhanced so many public spaces in Glasgow and whose plea that we should all work as if we live in the early days of a better nation has inspired so many around the world?" 

Jacob Rees-Mogg, the Leader of the House, replied: 

"Thank you. I cannot promise a debate on Mr Gray but I will pray for his soul." 

 

Grady also lodged his Early Day Motion which celebrates the life and legacy of Alasdair Gray, ahead of Sandra White MSP's debate in the Scottish Parliament next week. 

The motion is sponsored by Grady alongside Ian Blackford, Alison Thewliss, David Linden, Carol Monghan and Stewart Malcolm McDonald. 

Alasdair was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Saltire society shortly before his death in 2019. 

Read more: Alasdair Gray exhibition 'Omnium Gatherum' announced at Glasgow Printworks

In his final interview, he said that he had hoped he had learned 'how to be an artist'. The interview took place on the date of the General Election, and Gray added that he had voted that day for the Labour Party: 

"I am a big supporter of Independence but I rather regret the fact that the party in Holyrood is not taking what strikes me as a properly independent line."

Later that day, Alasdair's predictions of a "continuation of a Tory prime minister in Westminster", which he described as a "depressing thought", turned out to be very much true.

A posthumous collection of his work will be exhibited in 'Omnium Gatherum' on the 7th of February until the 12th of April in the Glasgow Print Studio in Trongate.