SCOTTISH Labour boss Richard Leonard has given his predecessor Kezia Dugdale a formal warning for ditching the party to jet off to the Australian outback to appear in hit ITV show I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!
The Lothian MSP flew back into Scotland yesterday morning and was taken from Glasgow Airport to Edinburgh, where she met with party bosses.
A planned press conference at the Scottish Parliament was cancelled and the new boss told the old boss not to say a word.
Earlier, at the airport, Dugdale said it was “good to be back” in Scotland.
She added: “It was an experience I am never going to forget. I’m obviously going to the parliament now and I will have more to say later on.”
The MSP, who remained in Australia until the programme’s final on Sunday, had said the show was “an amazing opportunity to talk to young people... about politics, and – in particular – Labour values.”
Asked if she felt she had achieved that, the politician, who was forced to drink an emu anus smoothie in a Bush Tucker challenge, replied: “I did so in the jungle and will continue to do so.”
Figures released by the programme makers show Dugdale failed to win many round viewers.
She was the second celebrity out of the jungle after winning just 1.67 per cent of all votes.
That put her far behind eventual winner, Georgia “Toff” Toffolo, who took 31.82 per cent of the vote.
In a statement released late last night, Labour’s business manager James Kelly said: “Today Kezia Dugdale MSP was interviewed by the Scottish Labour Parliamentary Group Executive regarding her unauthorised absence from parliament for three weeks.
“Following a discussion between Richard Leonard, Kezia Dugdale, and the group executive, it has been decided that the group will reprimand Ms Dugdale by way of written warning. She will not face further action.”
Dugdale said: “I deeply regret that this caused issues in the first weeks of Richard Leonard’s leadership and I am determined that it won’t affect Labour’s ability to scrutinise the Scottish Budget.”
The politician was reportedly paid a near six-figure sum for her appearance on the programme.
A portion of that fee will be donated to charity. Her salary as an MSP for the three weeks has already been donated to Edinburgh-based charity The Rock Trust.
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