Scottish Government Minister Christina McKelvie has died aged 57
First Minister John Swinney has led tributes to "one of SNP's finest"
© AlamyScottish Government minister Christina McKelvie has died at the age of 57, her partner has announced.
Ms McKelvie took leave from her role as alcohol and drugs minister last year to seek treatment for secondary breast cancer.
The SNP has "lost one of its finest"
On Thursday, SNP MSP Keith Brown, Ms McKelvie's long-time partner, announced she had died this morning.
"To us, she was our beloved mum, partner and gran to Maeve and Leo," the statement 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 leads tributes
Scotland's First Minister John Swinney has said the SNP has "lost one of its finest" as he paid tribute to MSP Christina McKelvie following her death.
Mr Swinney said: "I am devastated to learn of the passing of Christina McKelvie, 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.
"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."
He said Ms McKelvie acted on her values in her almost two decades at Holyrood and was a "fierce champion for equality, social justice, for Scottish independence and for a better world".
He said his "thoughts and prayers" are with her family and friends and added: "The Scottish National Party has lost one of its finest, and I have lost an outstanding minister in my government."