KEZIA Dugdale has escaped suspension over her decision to ditch the Scottish Parliament to appear on a reality TV show 10,000 miles away.
The former Scottish Labour leader provoked widespread controversy after taking an “unauthorised” break from her job to go on I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!
But after she flew back to Scotland, new party leader Richard Leonard decided to issue her with just a “written warning” following a 45-minute meeting in Edinburgh.
In a statement released through the party, Ms Dugdale insisted she was “getting back to work”, adding: “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.”
Both Mr Leonard and Ms Dugdale refused to answer questions as they left the Scottish Parliament’s chamber to a mass of TV cameras and photographers, despite journalists being told to expect interviews earlier in the day.
During chaotic scenes, Ms Dugdale ignored questions from reporters about her TV paycheque, while Mr Leonard would only say that the party would be “issuing a statement”.
As Ms Dugdale was bustled past, one onlooker shouted: “She’s not a politician, get her out of here.”
A Labour source described the party’s handling of Ms Dugdale’s return as a “shambles” and said she had been “gagged” by the leadership, while opposition politicians branded the scenes “embarrassing”.
A spokesman for the Scottish Conservatives said: “It seemed almost impossible for Labour to make this Kezia fiasco even worse, but they’ve managed it.
“It doesn’t say much for the party’s new leadership to be desperately gagging a senior female representative.”
Ms Dugdale became only the second celebrity to be voted out of the jungle earlier this month after stunning Holyrood with her decision to appear on the hit ITV show.
But the Lothian MSP has so far refused to reveal how much she has been paid by TV bosses, or how much will be donated to charity.
And she was previously branded “deluded” after insisting her appearance on the reality show – which included a challenge where she drank an ostrich anus smoothie – could promote Labour values.
Scottish Labour business manager James Kelly confirmed Ms Dugdale was interviewed by the party’s executive team on her return to Scotland “regarding her unauthorised absence from parliament for three weeks”.
He said: “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.
“Scotland faces the most important budget since devolution, with local services facing huge cuts that will hit the poorest the hardest.
“The Labour family must now come together to oppose these cuts and outline fairer alternatives that ends austerity and lifts children out of poverty.”
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