Dugdale missing out on Brighton
Just weeks ago, she was expected to be one of the busiest and most visible politicians at the annual Labour Party conference.
But following her shock resignation as the party’s Scottish leader last month, Kezia Dugdale will be missing from the gathering in Brighton, which starts today.
Before quitting as leader, she was due to give the “Scotland report” to thousands of delegates at the conference tomorrow afternoon.
Instead, she will be holding an open advice surgery at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh.
Tomorrow’s speech will instead be given by interim Scottish leader Alex Rowley, who was once considered a potential challenger to her for the top job.
An “in conversation with Kezia Dugdale” event with our sister paper, the Daily Record, has been replaced by a leadership hustings between Anas Sarwar and Richard Leonard.
Dugdale had also been due to speak at an event hosted by the Electoral Reform Society called Why Labour needs PR.
A Labour spokesman said: “Kez won’t be at conference but has been thanked from across the party for the work she did for Scottish Labour, including by Jeremy Corbyn in his speech to the women’s conference.”
Dugdale, 36, was elected Scottish Labour leader just two years ago, following the party’s humiliating 2015 general election defeat, which saw the party return just one MP north of the Border.
She saw an improvement in the party’s fortunes, including the election of seven MPs in June’s snap general election.
But she was unconvinced by UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and her announcement came days after he finished a tour of Scotland.