Former Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale says her stance on independence has 'moved'

The former MSP made the comments at the Edinburgh Book Festival

Former Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale was in conversation with independence campaigner and jouralist Lesley Riddoch at this year's Edinburgh International Book Festival. Image: John Devlin.

Former Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale says her stance on independence has “moved”, but says she does not believe there will be another referendum within the next 10 years.

Ms Dugdale was appearing alongside Lesley Riddoch at the Edinburgh International Book Festival to discuss the political future of Scotland when she made the comments.

She also said the Labour Party in Wales is “more bolshy” and more able to stand up to Westminster than their counterparts in Scotland.

Ms Dugdale said: “If you are presented with a binary choice between an independent Scotland in a progressive Europe of little Boris Brexit Britain, I know where my cards would fall down.

“I also know I couldn’t argue with the same strength for the union that I did in 2014 now.

“That doesn’t mean I’m ready to vote Yes - there are big, big questions we need to debate as a country and resolve.

“So I have moved - we have to keep talking about some of these big issues in the country, but not just purely through that Yes/No lens.”

However while she said she does think there will be another independence referendum, it will not come in the next 10 years.

Ms Dugdale quit the party in 2019 over their stance on Europe, despite being a Labour MSP for eight years and leading the party between 2015 and 2017.

She also spoke about the differences she can now see between the Labour Party and Wales and the Labour Party in Scotland.

Ruth Wishart, who was chairing the discussion, said: “We have a situation where we have a Labour First Minister in Wales - he seems to me to be more bolshy than his Scottish counterparts and a lot more able and inclined to take Westminster on.”

In response Ms Dugdale said: “I think that’s right.

“They put Welsh heritage front and centre of their politics.”

Ms Wishart then asked if she was “disappointed” in Sir Keir Starmer on Europe.

In response Ms Dugdale said: “Of course I am, but I understand what he is trying to do.

“He is trying to win an election and I desperately want him to win to get the Tories out of office.”