Scottish Government minister Christina McKelvie was “surrounded by love” when she died, her partner and fellow MSP Keith Brown said.
The SNP depute leader paid an emotional tribute to Ms McKelvie, who was on medical leave from her post as alcohol and drugs policy minister when she died in hospital last week.
Mr Brown told how Scottish First Minister John Swinney, who hailed Ms McKelvie as “one of Parliament’s finest”, had visited her twice in hospital, while she was being treated for secondary breast cancer.
Speaking less than a week after her death in Glasgow Royal Infirmary last Thursday at the age of 57, Mr Brown told MSPs: “During the last week or so Christina was never on her own.
“At every point, 24 hours a day, members of her family sat with her, held her hand, told her she was loved.
“And she was surrounded by love in that last week.”
Her family placed yellow roses by her side in her final days in the hospital, with all SNP MSPs wearing yellow roses in tribute to her as Holyrood – with flags at half mast outside – held a motion of condolence.
Her family were in the Scottish Parliament to hear tributes to Ms McKelvie from politicians of all parties, with Mr Brown describing his long-term partner as having been “more beautiful inside than outside”.
He added: “Apart from the children, Christina McKelvie was the best thing that ever happened to me.”
He admitted he did not remember the first time the pair met in 2001 – but added Ms McKelvie “recollected she found me to be opinionated and cocky”.
The couple met again at a pre-election rally for SNP candidates in 2007, with Mr Brown saying: “I just thought she was a stunningly attractive woman – way, way out of my league.”
He added: “I have often thought of Christina as a star, people have talked about how much fun she was. To me she was glamorous, she was sparkly, she was fun.
“Planets revolve around stars. I just don’t know what a planet does when its star has been extinguished.”
His comments came after former first minister Nicola Sturgeon said she was “so privileged” to have had Ms McKelvie as her a friend, adding that Holyrood’s chamber “feels far too quiet without Christina’s infectious laugh”.
Hailing Ms McKelvie as a “truly exceptional politician”, the former SNP leader added: “The connections she made with people came from her heart, a heart she always wore proudly on her sleeve.”
She went on to tell MSPs: “When I made Christina a minister I knew she would do a good job, but I did not anticipate the strength of the impact she made.
“As first minister, whenever I encountered someone who worked in her policy field they would invariably tell me they loved her.
“No disrespect to my other ministers, that was not normal.”
Mr Swinney, meanwhile, who moved the motion of condolence, spoke of the “profound effect” she had had.
He reflected on the impact her upbringing in the Easterhouse area of Glasgow had on her political views, including her father’s MND diagnosis and the work done by her mother to care for him, as well as support the family.
The First Minister also paid tribute to the work of Ms McKelvie in her Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse constituency, highlighting her role in setting up a voucher scheme for those struggling to pay for their energy bills, which has since helped 20,000 people.
A fierce advocate for cancer research even before her diagnosis, the First Minister told how Ms McKelvie was the driving force for the Wear It Pink campaign at Holyrood, where she would “hunt members down”, forcing them to pose wearing “all sorts of pink paraphernalia”.
He went on to tell Holyrood: “She was one of the kindest and the most generous people I have ever met in my life.
“My Government has lost an outstanding minister, my party has lost one of its finest parliamentarians and many people of all parties and of none have lost a true friend.
“But I know that we will all feel the glow of Christina’s warmth for years to come.”
He added: “I am so profoundly grateful that my life has been blessed by the friendship and the love of one of Parliament’s finest – Christina McKelvie.”
Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone also paid tribute, saying the minister’s “desire to make things better for people defined her approach to public service”.
“Her own illness made Christina doubly determined to use her position to raise awareness and to advocate for others,” she added.
Scottish Labour deputy leader Dame Jackie Bailie also appeared emotional as she spoke about Ms McKelvie, saying she was a “woman who dedicated herself to public service and to working to improve the lives of her fellow Scots”.
She recalled she had first met her “many years ago”, before Ms McKelvie was elected to Holyrood when she working for the trade union Unison.
“She was fierce then, believe me,” Ms Baillie stated.
Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay paid his respects “to the force of nature that was Christina McKelvie”.
