Christina

Although I knew she was very ill, it was still a great shock to hear of Christina McKelvie's death this morning.   She will be greatly missed.

I had known Christina since she became a list  MSP in 2007 and I well remember her result in 2011, when she took the Hamilton seat from Labour's  Tom McCabe.  I was commenting  from the BBC studios in Glasgow (my count in Argyll was not until the next day) and hers was one of the first (along with Linda Fabiani's in East Kilbride) that indicated an electoral landslide was taking place. 

I had suggested her as a junior education minister when I was Education Secretary but she had to wait until 2018 to enter Government, where - as I expected  - she proved her self to be a popular  and committed minister in the Equalities brief.

The picture in this blip was taken at the Oban Pride march in May 2019.  I was there as the local MSP and she persuaded me  - in her usual no nonsense manner - to have the rainbow face painting done before the parade  set off  through town in persistent rain, though everyone was in great spirits.   

Christina was always  good company, funny, hard working ,honest, full of integrity and had no "side" to her - what you saw was what you got, and that endeared her to everyone who worked with her or needed her help.

I grew very fond of her and I know what a struggle she had in recent years.   The memory of her is, however - in that great Jewish phrase - a blessing and this picture will always remind me of what a blessing her friendship was.

Keith and her family have the deepest sympathy from all her friends.  They too - despite the pain - will also have many blessings in the memories they retain and recall.