It’s Nat going to happen.. is it , Kezia?
It’s unthinkable. Unfathomable. To some, it’s almost unsayable.
But a bit of mischief from a bookie has got Holyrood buzzing with one simple question: Could Kezia Dugdale join the SNP?
There is little precedent in the tribal world of party politics for such a prominent figure to make the switch to his or her rivals. There is a deep, visceral loathing between Labour and the SNP.
But odds as short as 5/1 have been offered by bookies on Dugdale joining Nicola Sturgeon’s party before the next Holyrood election in 2021.
Dugdale, who made the surprise announcement two weeks ago that she was quitting as Scottish Labour leader, has intriguing links to the SNP.
She has found love with Nationalist MSP Jenny Gilruth, her father Jeff is a vocal supporter of the SNP on social media and, according to Government minister Richard Lochhead at least, she once applied for an internship with the Nats.
There is also the small matter of independence. Dugdale caused fury among Labour colleagues last year when she said it was “not inconceivable” she could back separation if it was the only way to ensure Scotland stayed in the EU.
She wouldn’t be the first Labour politician to join the SNP. Tommy Sheppard, MP for Edinburgh East and a key figure in the Yes campaign in 2014, was once Scottish Labour assistant general secretary.
And former MP Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh was a Labour member for two years and then a Tory candidate for Holyrood before defecting to the SNP.
But Nationalist heavyweight Jim Sillars told the Sunday Mail that switching from Labour was the toughest decision of his life.
He urged Dugdale to stay with Labour and said that she could one day lead her party again.
Sillars was elected as a Labour MP in 1970 but quit in 1976 and joined the SNP four years later.
He said: “For someone at Kezia’s level, it would be extremely painful. It would shred her emotionally.
“One of the most traumatic periods of my life was when I left Labour. Scottish Secretary Willie Ross put it very well when he said there was a special place in hell for those who did what I did.
“In Labour, there is a deep emotional and cultural commitment to what the party have traditionally stood for. I did it for what I thought were the right reasons but I knew I was going to pay a price. When people called me a traitor, I thought, ‘Maybe I am.’
“Leaving such a fundamentally important organisation in society as the Labour Party is a terribly difficult thing to do. I’m glad I did it but I don’t pretend it was the easiest passage in my life.”
Sillars admitted he received a less than warm welcome from some Nats when he joined.
He said: “A number of people in the SNP never trusted me. That was one of the reasons why I did not stand for the leadership when Gordon Wilson stood down in 1990. There were too many people who regarded me as too left-wing.
“I think the SNP have changed now. They are much more welcoming to people from all sorts of backgrounds than they were in my time.
“Of course the SNP would welcome Kezia Dugdale. It would be a great coup. But I hope she’s not contemplating it. She has experienced all the difficulties of leadership and I don’t believe she should throw that away. There are second comings in politics. “Jim Callaghan thought his parliamentary career was over and there was talk of him becoming director general of the International Monetary Fund. He decided to stay in parliament and everyone thought he was making a mistake. “But soon after something happened that no one could have imagined – the resignation of Harold Wilson – and Callaghan became Prime Minister. “I don’t think Kezia should make any irrevocable move.” Former Labour FM Henry McLeish has been on the receiving end of jibes he should join the SNP, especially after his comment that Brexit strengthened the case for independence.
He said: “My sincere hope is that Kezia will not join the SNP because you can promote progressive politics, promote a shake-up of the Union through federalism and believe in a better future for Scotland without joining the SNP. “There was every sign that Kezia understood the big issues facing Scotland but sadly a lot of her colleagues and advisers did not have the same vision.” But Sheppard said: “Despite the fact that SNP and Labour activists pretend to themselves that they are the greatest of rivals, there is a large overlap in what people in each party believe. “Quite often there is a commonality in objective and jusjust a difference in hohow they get there.” BBetting firm McBMcBookie have been offeroffering odds of 5/1 on DugdDugdale joining the SNP beforeb the next HolyrHolyrood election in 2021. SpokSpokesman Paul Petrie said she “must increasingly feel lilikeike she’s starring in the wwronwrong movie”. But oneon senior Labour insideinsiderer saids punters betting on DugdaleDuugd to defect would be throwingth away their monmoney. TheTh insider said: “NoNobody should waste momoney betting on this. “Kez is Labour thrthrough and through and has given so much of her life to our party that it’s, frankly, insulting for people to question her loyalty.”