Kezia faces rumble after the jungle
Labour puts off action over ‘Celebrity’
KEZIA Dugdale has escaped an immediate suspension from Scottish Labour for deciding to appear on I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here – but will face the threat of disciplinary action when she returns.
The party yesterday opted against immediately withdrawing the whip from its former leader.
This would have meant she would become an independent MSP while the issue was investigated.
However, she will undergo a formal interview on her return from Australia, when Scottish Labour chiefs will decide whether further action, including suspension, is necessary.
The developments come ahead of the Lothians MSP’s first appearance on the show – expected during tonight’s episode – alongside contestants including boxer Amir Khan and Made In Chelsea’s Georgia Toffolo.
Miss Dugdale’s decision to skip Holyrood for three weeks without permission to appear on the ITV show has angered new Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard.
Yesterday, he chaired his first party parliamentary group meeting since taking the helm, where the subject of whether she should be immediately suspended was discussed. Mr Leonard said beforehand that it would be ‘hasty’ to suspend Miss Dugdale.
Afterwards, he refused to answer journalists’ questions but the party issued a statement from business manager James Kelly, which said: ‘The group concluded Kezia Dugdale would not face suspension.
‘In accordance with standard procedure, Kezia Dugdale will be interviewed on her return to parliament and have the opportunity to present her account of events.’
Mr Kelly also said that it was ‘regrettable’ Miss Dugdale had taken an ‘unauthorised’ absence.
Miss Dugdale arrived at Brisbane Airport early yesterday and spent the morning at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary in Queensland.
Afterwards she jumped into a helicopter and waved cheerily as it flew her towards the jungle camp.
In an interview with STV, Mr Leonard said: ‘I do feel a little bit let down and I’m disappointed in her decision to do this.’ He said he felt misled by Miss Dugdale asking him if she could take three weeks off for an issue close to her heart.
He said: ‘I was left with the impression that this was a cause that she felt passionately about that would reflect well on the Labour Party and would reflect well on progressive causes generally. That isn’t, in my view, what this programme is about.’
A comment by Miss Dugdale on Twitter about Tory MP Nadine Dorries, who took part in I’m a Celebrity... in 2012, has also come to light.
Dated November 6 that year, it read: ‘David Cameron has been desperate to ditch Nadine Dorries since her election – how daft of her to serve him up reason on a plate.’
Miss Dugdale told the Daily Record that appearing on the show would be ‘an amazing platform to talk about politics and Labour values’.
She said: ‘This is a phenomenal opportunity to speak to millions of people across the UK about the difference a Labour government could make and that is what I’m going to do.’
She added: ‘I’m only away for three weeks. I’m committed to my constituents and I’ll be leaving the jungle to go straight back to parliament.’
‘Interviewed on her return’