Scottish GovernmentThe First Minister has paid tribute to SNP MSP Christina McKelvie, who has died at the age of 57.
McKelvie announced in August that she would be taking medical leave due to treatment for secondary breast cancer.
Her family announced that she had passed away on Thursday at Glasgow Royal Infirmary.
The MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse has served in the Scottish Parliament since 2007 and became the Minister for Drugs and Alcohol Policy last year.
McKelvie’s partner, deputy SNP leader Keith Brown, said she loved her job and party and was always a “champion for the people of Scotland and an advocate for social justice and for Scotland to be an independent nation in Europe”.
However he added: “To us, she was our beloved mum, partner and gran to Maeve and Leo.”
Brown said: “She was always hard working and enthusiastic and lit up every room she was in with her positivity and bright smile. She was always proud of her working class roots in Easterhouse and often said she could not have dreamt of becoming a government minister for the Scottish Government.”
First Minister’s Questions on Thursday was a sombre affair after news of McKelvie’s death broke.
Many of her colleagues from across multiple parties were visibly upset as MSPs paid tribute in the chamber with many urging those she’s left behind to follow her example of “kindness and compassion” both in politics and in life.
Craig Foy via SNS GroupTributes have already started pouring in for McKelvie. First Minister John Swinney said he was “devastated” to learn of her death, describing her as “one of the kindest and most generous people I have ever met in my life”.
“In all the years since I first met Christina, I have been so grateful to call her my friend and colleague and to benefit from her warmth and loyalty,” Swinney said.
“Christina was fiercely proud of her Easterhouse roots, and she often spoke of how injustices her family experienced in her childhood had inspired her to join the trade union movement and enter elected politics.”
Swinney praised her almost two decades as an MSP, calling her a “fierce champion” for equality, social justice and Scottish independence.
“But for all her many political achievements, Christina was first and foremost deeply committed to her family. Everyone could see the joy that she and her partner Keith brought to each other’s lives, and she spoke so often over the years of her pride for her sons, and more recently her immense joy at becoming a granny,” Swinney said.
“In recent years, when Christina returned to Parliament after treatment for breast cancer, she was determined to help those around her – using her platform to encourage women to check themselves and go to screening appointments.”
Swinney added: “The Scottish National Party has lost one of its finest, and I have lost an outstanding minister in my government. I know her loss will be felt right across the Parliament and among the countless constituents she supported over the years. Christina was such a big-hearted woman, with compassion and social justice at her core. Her political allies and opponents would agree – she truly was a force of nature.”
Former first minister Nicola Sturgeon called McKelvie “kind, compassionate and full of life”.
“A politician who wore her heart on her sleeve and made the world a better place,” Sturgeon said.
“She brought joy to everyone who knew her – and especially to her soulmate, Keith, and her beloved boys, Lewis and Jack. Christina McKelvie MSP – I was so proud to call you my friend.”
Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone also paid tribute on Thursday morning. Johnstone said she too was “deeply saddened” by her death and she offered condolences to McKelvie’s partner, family and many friends.
“I remember Christina’s warm welcome when I arrived as a newly-elected MSP in 2011,” Johnstone said.
“The flags at Holyrood fly at half-mast today as a mark of respect for Christina. We will of course honour Christina fully in Parliament in the days to come.”
Scottish Lib-Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said: “I’m thinking of all those who loved her today. I served as her deputy convener on the Equalities Committee for five years in the last Parliament. She was a passionate advocate for minorities and human rights. A real loss to our Parliament.”
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said: “This is terribly sad news. My thoughts and the thoughts of the entire Scottish Labour Party are with Keith, her wider family, friends and all her colleagues across the parliament.”
Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay said the news was “absolutely tragic”.
“Our thoughts are with Christina’s family, friends, and colleagues,” Findlay said.
Conservative MSP Stephen Kerr (Central Scotland) added: “Sometimes, politics rightly takes its place behind our shared humanity. Rest in peace, Christina.”
Brown said his family is “immensely proud” of all she achieved in life.
McKelvie was an advocate for people living with Motor Neurone Disease and sponsored the first Wear It Pink campaign at the Scottish Parliament in support of Breast Cancer Now – many years before her own diagnosis with breast cancer.
“As a Parliamentarian, she was proud of her work as convener of two Committees – European and External Relations and then the Equalities Committee which added Human Rights to its title and remit under her convenership,” Brown said.
“She also championed policy and legislation through promoting ‘Clare’s Law’ – to allow the disclosure of previous violent and abusive behaviour to those at risk. As a minister, she launched the world’s first strategy to tackle social isolation and loneliness as a health issue, tackled the stigma surrounding menopause, and introduced legislation banning [female genital mutilation].”
As a constituency MSP, Brown said McKelvie worked hard to support her constituents and many local groups and absolutely loved every part of Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse.
“Today, we have lost our much loved Christina and know she will be very much missed by all our family and also her many, many friends, staff and constituents,” Brown said.
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