A FORMER St Peter the Apostle High pupil who survived repeated rounds of melanoma has unseated the leader of the Liberal Democrats.
Amy Callaghan took the Dunbartonshire East constituency for the SNP, beating Jo Swinson by just 149 votes. It had one of the highest turnouts in the country, with 80.3 per cent of residents casting ballots.
The 27-year-old told BBC Scotland: "It's quite a momentous achievement, both for me personally but also in terms of the people of East Dunbartonshire, completely rejecting the politics of austerity and also giving the people a chance to choose their own future, I think that is incredibly important."
Amy, from Duntocher, was first diagnosed with melanoma when she was 19 and in her second year of university.
Earlier this year, she spoke to the Post about her journey, which included more than half a dozen surgeries over the years and having to take a year off uni to recover.
So this happened 👇
— Amy Callaghan (@AmyCallaghanSNP) December 13, 2019
After some 😴 I'll thank each & every single person who delivered this historic change.
This has been a grassroots, localised campaign with the people of East Dunbartonshire at its heart. Thank you for putting your trust in me as your new MP #AmyForEastDun https://t.co/umbhdzIkK0
But she also praised support from the Teenage Cancer Trust (TCT), particularly to enable her to continue with her studies.
She was working for Strathkelvin and Bearsden MSP Rona Mackay before the election.
Read more: Clydebank's Amy Callaghan wants mental health support for young people
Amy, a former St Mary's Primary and St Columba's High pupil, told the Post: “I don’t want the time I spent unwell going to waste. I wanted to make sure the year off was used for the better instead of me resenting it.
“It’s more about the support and helping people carry on with their lives afterwards.
“Cancer is a negative thing but I have come through this, and I’m living my best life. I’m using this negative thing to make things better.
“I want to make sure no young person who has a worry doesn’t feel they can go to their GP.
“I want to make sure it gets better for other people.”
Ms Swinson resigned as LibDem leader as the party rules require the leader to be a sitting MP.
She said after her loss: "I still believe we as a country can be warm and generous, inclusive and open and that by working together with our nearest neighbours we can achieve so much more."
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was seen on TV giving her thrilled reaction to Amy's win.
Nicola Sturgeon caught by Sky when she learned about Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson losing her seat. pic.twitter.com/y0O4vQRIf5
— Jim Waterson (@jimwaterson) December 13, 2019
She then said: "I'm delighted for Amy Callaghan - she's one of the bright young stars of this election and I predict great things ahead for her. Notwithstanding that, understandably excited reaction, commiserations to Jo Swinson.
"I understand more than most the pressures and challenges of leadership, and to lose her seat tonight, when she's led her party through this campaign will be a bitter blow for her.
"But of course I can't help but be delighted by the performance of my party this evening."
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