Emotional Sturgeon hails ‘absolutely incredible friend’ Christina McKelvie
Former first minister Nicola Sturgeon shared her recollections of Ms McKelvie, who died last week.
An emotional Nicola Sturgeon told Holyrood how she will miss former Scottish Government minister Christina McKelvie “so very much” after her death.
The former Scottish first minister paid moving tribute to Ms McKelvie, who died last week at the age of 57.
She had been on medical leave from her post as alcohol and drugs policy minister in the Scottish Government while she received hospital treatment for secondary breast cancer.
Just days after her death on Thursday, MSPs from all parties at Holyrood paid tribute to Ms McKelvie in a motion of condolence – although Ms Sturgeon said it was “impossible in three minutes to encapsulate the remarkable human being she was.”
Describing her as an “absolutely incredible friend”, she told how she had driven Ms McKelvie home from the funeral of comedian Janey Godley at the end of October last year. – saying as they travelled home the pair had had “probably the most profound conversation we ever had”.
Ms Sturgeon recalled: “I could tell that day that Christina wasn’t feeling well so I forced her to let me drive her home.
“I am going to gloss over her assessment of my driving. But I am so deeply grateful to have had that time with Christina.
“It was probably the most profound conversation we ever had, she opened up about her fears of what lay ahead and for the loved ones she knew she would leave behind far too soon.
“We reflected together on how short life is and how important it is to live every single day of it to the full, and even in the darkest of times to find reasons to laugh.
“And it is that, ultimately, her laugh and her unfailing ability to lift my spirit, that I will remember most about the beautiful, funny, wise woman that was Christina McKelvie.”
Ms Sturgeon added: “Christina I loved you, we all loved you. And I am going to miss you so very much.”
She had brought Ms McKelvie into the Scottish Government, making her minister for equalities and older people in 2018 – with the former SNP leader recalling that whenever she dealt with someone in this area “they would invariably tell me they loved her”.
She added: “No disrespect to my other ministers, that was not normal.”
She went on to hail Ms McKelvie as being a “truly exceptional politician”, saying: “The connections she made with people came from her heart, a heart she always wore proudly on her sleeve.
With Ms McKelvie’s family in the Scottish Parliament, and her partner, SNP depute leader and fellow MSP Keith Brown in the chamber, she sought to address them directly.
Ms Sturgeon told Mr Brown: “You were her soulmate and I don’t think you will ever know how much happiness you brought her, and I know she made you deeply happy too.”
She told Ms McKelvie’s two sons, Lewis and Jack, how she had been “so very very proud” of them.
Ms Sturgeon continued: “A little known fact is that Jack and I share a birthday, which meant Christina was always one of the first people I would hear from on my birthday every year. I will so miss those texts.
“But from now on Jack, whether you like it or not, in my little mark of remembrance I am going to be the first person you hear from on your birthday every single year.”
