Kezia Dugdale
 Kezia Dugdale      (politician) | |
|---|---|
 Jeremy Corbyn with former Scottish Labour Party leader Kezia Dugdale | |
| Born | Kezia Alexandra Ross Dugdale 28 August 1981 Aberdeen, Scotland |
| Nationality | Scottish |
| Alma mater | Aberdeen University, Edinburgh University |
| Party | Labour Co-op |
Kezia Dugdale (born 28 August 1981) is a Scottish politician who was Leader of the Scottish Labour Party from 15 August 2015 until her resignation on 29 August 2017.[1] Dugdale explained why she resigned in an article in The Spectator.[2]
Kezia Dugdale, who had long been a critic of Leader of the Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn, said:
- “Jeremy can unite the Labour Party, but he needs to want to unite it. That means he needs to work with both the party across the country and MPs to provide an effective opposition to the Tories. It will be a difficult task for Jeremy, but not an impossible one.”
Pat Rafferty, Scottish General Secretary of the super-union Unite, Labour’s biggest donor, said Dugdale’s questioning of Corbyn’s willingness to unite Labour was “ridiculous”:
- “It seems to imply that Jeremy doesn't want to unite the party, but throughout the campaign he has done nothing but call for unity. It's a ridiculous statement to make."
Former London mayor Ken Livingstone, currently suspended from Labour over remarks about Hitler, said:
- “Most people in Britain have not heard of her [Dugdale] and frankly what she said is wrong after Jeremy won a convincing leadership election twice in a year. She should get behind Jeremy and stop whining."
Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell added:
- “Kezia needs to listen to the speech that Jeremy gave after the result of the election was announced. Jeremy made it extremely clear that he wants to unite the party and this was well received by delegates. Kezia can play a role in bringing the party together and help us work closely in taking on the Tories and the SNP. Jeremy badly wants this unity. Kezia will fully understand that when she and Jeremy talk in the days and weeks ahead."
Labour' elections chair Jon Trickett said:
- "It's the job of all of us to get behind the leader and on reflection she might feel that she was not as full-hearted as she could have been for the leader."
Vince Mills, of the Campaign for Socialism, said:
- “It’s going to be difficult for Kez to unite the Scottish Labour party if that’s her attitude.[3]
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