Jeremy Corbyn dismisses calls to suspend Kezia Dugdale for going on I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!

"I don't think it's appropriate to suspend someone from the party for doing that, that's her choice"
'Her choice': Jeremy Corbyn has expressed his support for Kezia Dugdale
Getty Images
Fiona Simpson18 November 2017
WEST END FINAL

Get our award-winning daily news email featuring exclusive stories, opinion and expert analysis

I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice.

Jeremy Corbyn has dismissed calls for former Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale to be suspended from the party for going on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!

Her successor as Scottish Labour leader, Richard Leonard, has confirmed the party's MSPs are to consider whether to suspend her for the decision to go to the jungle.

But Labour leader Mr Corbyn today said: "It's her choice to go on I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here!, I don't think it's appropriate to suspend someone from the party for doing that, that's her choice."

However, former Labour first minister Henry McLeish called on Ms Dugdale to rethink her decision to star in the reality TV show.

He said: "Clearly she resigned for a number of reasons, but this is not the way to go forward, and I would ask her to rethink and drop the idea of going to Australia."

Speaking out: Jeremy Corbyn
EPA

He praised Ms Dugdale for her work as Labour leader, saying she had been "building a case for federalism" and had also won Scottish Labour a place on the party's National Executive Committee.

"It's vital we don't lose talent like that," Mr McLeish said. "I'm asking her to reconsider before she flies off tomorrow."

I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! 2017 Contestants - In pictures

1/13

The 36-year-old is expected to appear alongside Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson’s father Stanley, boxer Amir Khan and a hosts of other stars including Georgia Toffolo from Made in Chelsea and The Saturday’s Vanessa White.

The ITV show lasts about three weeks, which means the MSP for Lothian will miss multiple constituency surgeries and next week’s UK Budget.

Conservative MP Nadine Dorries, the last serving politician to go into the jungle, was suspended by the party following the decision in 2012 and later had to apologise for refusing to declare how much she was paid for it.

Bookmakers Coral had the former Scottish Labour leader at 8-1 to win the show.

John Hill of Coral said: "The Scottish Labour party are not happy with Kezia entering the jungle, however, she has already been popular with punters to win the series where she is one of the prominent contestants at the top end of the outright betting."