Wings Over Scotland begins defamation action against Kezia Dugdale

A defamation action has begun against Kezia Dugdale from Wings Over Scotland blogger Stuart Campbell.

The Labour politician is being sued for £25,000 by Mr Campbell after she accused him of homophobia in a newspaper article.

As Ms Dugdale prepares to enter reality TV show I’m a Celebrity... Get me Out of Here! court proceedings have started over the claim as the pro-independence campaigner seeks damages.

Mr Campbell’s lawyers launched an action at Edinburgh Sheriff Court claiming Ms Dugdale, writing in a newspaper column, damaged his personal reputation.

On May 18, Ms Duglade explained to MSPs at First Minister’s Questions that she used a newspaper column to bring up “homophobic comments” made by Mr Campbell about the son of Secretary of State for Scotland David Mundell, Conservative MSP Oliver Mundell.

On Thursday morning advocate Duncan Hamilton, Ms Duglade’s lawyer, told Sheriff Norman McFadyen at a procedural hearing that his client believes her comments to be truthful.

A second hearing will take place in 2018.

Ms Duglade will enter I’m a Celebrity on Thursday evening where she will take part in a political themed Buchtucker trial.