KEZIA Dugdale was “upset” when news of her appearance on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! leaked before the Labour leadership announcement, her partner has revealed.
Ms Dugdale arrived in the jungle this afternoon amid a storm of controversy, with many in her own party blasting the decision.
But her partner Jenny Gilruth, an SNP MSP, said the former Labour leader had deliberately delayed her entry into the show to avoid upstaging her replacement.
Ms Gilruth said: “I know Kez was upset about the way it affected Labour’s leadership announcement.
“And I know she was upset by some of the hurtful things written about her. How could she not be?
“The Labour party certainly have challenges to face politically – it would be refreshing if that ‘real change’ started with a bit of human decency.”
Kezia was pictured boarding a helicopter as she set off to join 10 other celebrities – including boxer Amir Khan, Boris Johnson's father Stanley and The Saturdays singer Vanessa White – at the reality TV camp.
Ms Gilruth said she had no plans to fly out and would be cheering on Ms Dugdale from home.
Writing in the Daily Record, she said: “Kez is calm in a crisis – having fronted four elections and a referendum over the last two years, she’s had to be. And she’s still only 36. That’s some shift.
“Importantly, Kez doesn’t take herself too seriously. As effective politicians know, you need to be able to laugh at yourself in this game. And given the political climate, a bit of light entertainment will be a welcome tonic.”
Ms Dugdale’s upcoming appearance sparked a severe backlash from within her own party, with fellow MSP Neil Findlay condemning the move as “utterly ludicrous”.
Scottish Labour MSPs were expected to decide today whether to suspend her over the decision.
But new leader Richard Leonard last night suggested the party may wait until after she has returned from the jungle before considering any action.
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