KEZIA Dugdale’s political mentor has urged her to consider a comeback as Scottish Labour leader.

Lord George Foulkes, who employed Ms Dugdale in his office while he was a Lothians MSP from 2007 to 2011, said Alex Salmond had shown it was possible for leaders to return.

He told the Herald: “I’m really sorry that she’s gone.

"I think she did a brilliant job. It’s a sad loss for the party.

"She would have made a great First Minister.

“But she’s young and people make comebacks.

“I hope that we will see her come back at an appropriate time.

"These sort of things can happen.

"If she’s stays in politics there’s no reason she shouldn’t.

“Alex Salmond has done it.

"Other people have done it before.”

Mr Salmond was SNP leader from 1990 to 2000, then again from 2004 to 2014 after John Swinney’s failed tenure.

Lord Foulkes also said that, despite Ms Dugdale backing rival Owen Smith for the UK Labour leadership last year, she and Jeremy Corbyn had been getting on well recently.

He said: “In the last few days of her tour with Jeremy Corbyn, when they both seemed to get on very well together and both got a warm reception going round the country.

“People were very appreciative of how she conducted herself.

“It’s a great pity. She was doing a great job.”