Story of love across party divide delights social media

● Scottish Labour leader reveals she is dating an SNP politician

Support has flooded in for Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale after the announcement of her relationship with a Fife SNP MSP.

The Lothian MSP revealed overtheweekendshehasbeen dating Mid-fife and Glenrothes MSP Jenny Gilruth since March. Ms Dugdale, 35, confirmed the pair were in a relationship and asked that their privacy be respected.

But friends, colleagues and the public took to social media to show overwhelming support following the couple’s announcement.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted her congratulations.

She wrote: “So love really does conquer all! Wishing every happiness to @Jennygilruth & @Kezdugdale.”

SNP MP for Livingston Hannah Bardell tweeted: “Glad you’ve both found happiness @Jennygilruth & @ Kezdugdale...a bit of crossparty co-operation always good!”

Ms Gilruth, 32, is a former teacher and was elected in May 2016, and currently works as a parliamentary liaison officer for John Swinney who also took to Twitter to congratulate the couple.

He said: “Love definitely knows no bounds.”

Ms Dugdale and Ms Gilruth became acquainted during a cross-party political trip to the United States in summer

0 MSPS Jenny Gilruth and Kezia Dugdale . ‘So love really does conquer all!’ tweeted Nicola Sturgeon last year. A joint statement released by the couple said: “We don’t consider this to be ‘news’ – but we appreciate others might and we want to go about our daily lives normally.

“We would like to thank our friends, family and colleagues for their kindness over the past few months and for their love and support.

“We’d politely ask that our privacy is respected because while we are both politicians, we are also human beings – in a new relationship, which we cherish.”

It follows calls from left-wing publication the Scottish Left Review (SLR) for Ms Dugdale to be removed from her posi- tion as Scottish Labour leader claiming she was partly to blame for the party not winning more seats in last month’s general election.

A Labour source said the editorial was “ill-informed”.