Scottish government minister Christina McKelvie has died at the age of 57, her partner has said.
The minister for drugs and alcohol policy had taken medical leave last August to undergo treatment for secondary breast cancer.
Ms McKelvie’s partner, MSP Keith Brown, announced the news in a statement on Thursday morning.
The SNP’s deputy leader said: “Christina’s sons Lewis and Jack and I are heartbroken to announce the death of Christina at Glasgow Royal Infirmary this morning.”
Ms McKelvie had been an MSP since 2007. She represented the Central Scotland region up to 2011 before going on to serve Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse.
Mr Brown said: “She loved her job, and she loved her 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.
“To us, she was our beloved mum, partner and gran to Maeve and Leo.
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“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.”
Ms McKelvie was minister for equalities from 2008 to 2023. She then served as minister for culture, Europe and international development, before becoming minister for drugs and alcohol policy in February 2024.
As well as being a being a long-standing member of the SNP, she was also a trade unionist with Unison during her time working in social work services in Glasgow.
Mr Brown said: “We are immensely proud of all Christina achieved.
“She was passionate about many issues, including advocating for people living with MND and sponsoring the first Wear It Pink at the Scottish parliament in support of Breast Cancer Now many years before her own diagnosis with breast cancer, after which she used every opportunity to encourage women to check themselves and go to screening appointments.”
He added: “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.”
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First Minister John Swinney said he was “devastated” over Ms McKelvie’s death, as he described her as “one of the kindest and most generous people” he had ever met in his life.
Mr Swinney added: “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.
“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.”
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The first minister said Ms McKelvie was a “fierce champion” for equality, social justice, Scottish independence “and for a better world”.
He added: “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.
“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.
“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.”
Alison Johnstone, presiding officer of the Scottish parliament, said the flags at Holyrood would be flown at half-mast as a mark of respect.
A book of condolence will also be opened later.
Ms Johnstone said she was “deeply saddened” by Ms McKelvie’s death, adding: “We will of course honour Christina fully in parliament in the days to come.”
