A CALL has been made to honour a politician by naming a constituency street after him.

Local councillor Martin McElroy wants Glasgow City Council to pledge to name a street in Springburn Speaker Martin's Way.

Former House of Commons Speaker Lord Martin of Springburn died in April this year after 40 years service to the local community.

Michael Martin had been the first Catholic to become Speaker since the Reformation and had campaigned on housing issues in the Glasgow area.

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Mr McElroy has written to the council's Development and Regeneration Services to ask for the move to be considered.

He wants a street off Springburn Way to be named Speaker Martin's Way in a new housing development.

But it would mean a making an exception to strict council protocol, which dictates that streets are not named after anyone, living or dead.

In his letter, Mr McElroy writes: "Whilst I appreciate that DRS currently have a policy of not naming streets after people, I am asking for you to consider an exception in this case.

"The name I am proposing, “Speaker Martin’s Way” as a tribute to Michael Martin, is in my opinion an appropriate and reasonable deviation from the policy."

He goes on: "Michael gave over 40 years of his life to public service and represented Springburn for 30 years as an MP.

"He eventually rose to the office of Speaker of The House of Commons, the first Roman Catholic to achieve this since the Reformation.

"This new street will be in the heart of his constituency, an area where people still talk with pride about what he achieved during his life.

"He was a tireless MP who, even accounting for his other duties in Parliament, always went the extra mile for his constituents.

"When he was elevated to the House of Lords, he even included Springburn in his title to become Lord Martin, Baron of Springburn and Port Dundas."

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Lord Martin had represented Springburn since 1979 and the site of new housing is in the heart of his constituency.

The politician had campaigned tirelessly for social housing and this development is social housing.

Mr McElroy added: "Michael was a passionate advocate for improving housing for working class people"

A Glasgow City Council spokesman, referring to Nelson Mandela Place in the City Centre, said: “In Glasgow, street names are given on the basis of historical considerations and after research into the local area.

"Streets - with one obvious exception - are not named after people, living or dead.”