The Scottish drugs and alcohol policy minister, Christina McKelvie has died aged 57.
Ms McKelvie took medical leave last year as she underwent treatment for secondary breast cancer.
She died on Thursday morning at Glasgow Royal Infirmary.
First Minister John Swinney said that he was "devastated" by Ms McKelvie’s death, adding that she was "one of the kindest and most generous people I have ever met in my life”.
"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,” he added.
Who was Christina McKelvie?
Ms McKelvie grew up in the Easterhouse area of Glasgow. She was elected as an MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse in 2007 and won the constituency in 2011.
According to Mr Swinney, Ms McKelvie was “fiercely proud of her Easterhouse roots” and “often spoke of how injustices her family experienced in her childhood had inspired her to join the trade union movement and enter elected politics”.
Ms McKelvie served as an equalities minister between 2008 and 2023, spearheading a number of impactive social schemes. She introduced the world’s first strategy to tackle social isolation and loneliness as a health issue, tackled menopause stigma and introduced legislation banning FGM (female genital mutilation).
She also promoted the Clare’s Law, a scheme that enables police to release information about someone’s history of violence or abuse. Under the law, you can request information about your partner or ex-partner (or a friend or relative’s partner or ex-partner) if you’re worried they have a history of abuse and could be a risk to you or someone else.
Ms McKelvie went on to serve as culture minister, followed by her most recent role as drugs and alcohol policy minister. As Scotland’s drug deaths reached the worst in Europe in 2023, Ms McKelvie worked to implement effective harm reduction and support rehabilitation and recovery of those living with alcohol or drug dependency.
Was she married?
Ms McKelvie’s long-term partner was Keith Brown, the deputy leader of the SNP. Following her death, Mr Brown said that Ms McKelvie "lit up every room she was in with her positivity and bright smile”.
Mr Brown said: “We are immensely proud of all Christina achieved.
“She was passionate about many issues, including advocating for people living with MND (motor neurone disease) 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.”
