Dugdale promises she will ‘make amends’

Former Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale has said she has “a bit of work to do to make amends” following her appearance on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!

On Sunday the MSP became the second contestant to be voted off the show, but she will stay in Australia until the programme finishes next week.

She is to be interviewed by party chiefs when she returns to Edinburgh next week.

Speaking to the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire programme, she said it was hard to seek approval as there was a leadership contest going on between Richard Leonard and Anas Sarwar.

She said: “I approached both of the leadership contenders at the time and told them that I planned to go away for three weeks, to go abroad to do something to raise a little bit of money for charity.”

The former party leader said she will donate a percentage of her appearance fee and is happy to serve new leader Mr Leonard in any role.

Asked how she will make amends to constituents and party members, she said: “I’d like to do a lot of that, first and foremost, privately so that we can have honest, free and frank conversations.

“I have been in touch with the new leader of the Scottish Labour Party and I’m hoping to have a proper conversation with him soon before I return to Scotland.

“I want to come back in a way that doesn’t impinge in any way on any plans that he might currently have.

“We’ve got a budget process that starts in the Scottish Parliament next week, we’re going to hear about the SNP’s tax proposals and these are big moments in the political week, and I want to do my level best not to interfere with that.

“I love my job, I’m very happy that Richard is the new leader, I support him in all his endeavours and I’ll serve him in whatever way he thinks it’s appropriate for me to do so.”

Kezia Dugdale was voted off the popular reality show on Sunday.