Labour Unity Takes a Knock: Labour Party ends funding for Kezia Dugdale's defence of Wings over Scotland defamation case, UK Labour did not tell Kezia Dugdale directly of its decision, but informed her lawyers, I guess the personal touch isn’t their speciality

Dear All

When the UK Labour tossed in a few shekels’ to fund former Scottish leader Kezia Dugdale in the legal action brought against her by Wings Over Scotland clown, Stuart Campbell, I have to say that I was surprised.

I was wondering if the reason was that because she was at the time Labour Leader in Scotland, this was their rationale.

Having stumped up some cash, it now seems that UK Labour has decided to pull the plug on the cash flow and leave Kezia, high and dry. Kezia by any stretch of the imagination couldn’t be described as a Corbyn supporter, right from the get go, she wasn’t what you could be called enthusiastic.

Now the plug has been pulled, this exposes Kezia Dugdale to potentially significant costs if she doesn’t win, plus the additional cost of paying off Stuart Campbell. Campbell lives in Bath and runs a website called Wings Over Scotland which has many idiots using the comments section.

So, it is said that UK Labour has funded her defence to the tune of £100,000, not exactly chump change, this is member’s subs, but apparently the new Gen Sec Jennie Formby allegedly doesn’t to continue the funding.

This saga started when in her Daily Record column, KeziaMs Dugdale said she was “shocked and appalled to see a pro-independence blogger's homophobic tweets”.

   

Campbell vigorously denies homophobia.

Her reaction was said to be caused by a tweet from Campbell where he said David Mundell’s son, the Tory MSP Oliver Mundell, was “the sort of public speaker that makes you wish his dad had embraced his homosexuality sooner".

Things escalated from there in a legal drama.

Many people will have opinions what that tweet means, but the most obvious meaning for those who don’t subscribe to identity politics is that Oliver Mundell is such a poor speaker. If you do subscribe to identity politics, you maybe inclined to read take Dugdale’s view, which I think would be a minority position.

In simple economic terms, the Labour Party has allegedly spent £100,000 and Campbell is asking for £25,000, it doesn’t seem good value for money for the members, or particularly smart.

There are plenty in the Unionist camp that despite Stuart Campbell, but people should learn to tell the difference between an opinion and a fact. In this case, if you go just on the tweet, you can’t say homophobic tweet. It boils down to, it isn’t what you thought he meant, it is all about what he thought he meant.

In other words, you can’t put your words into someone else’s mouth.

Because in a Court of Law; you would get ‘handed your ass’ for that type of thinking.

What I find surprising is that is the shock of Kezia Dugdale and many other Labour MSPs now the UK party has now ended the financial arrangement. This leaves Kezia Dugdale to fend for herself in a case which looks very much a potential loser.

There is an old saying that when in a hole; stop digging; that said, I am a great believer in letting people do their own thing, because it is part of the learning experience for them.

It now looks like the publisher of Ms Dugdale’s column, the Daily Record may now supply Ms Dugdale with legal support for the rest of the case, but that is to be confirmed.

Finally, as Court cases go, this isn’t one of the greatest to watch or take much of an interest in, by it should serve as a warning to elected people such as MSPs about what they say as an opinion and what they say as fact.

I met Kezia Dugdale at the Brexit count in Glasgow, we chatted for a few minutes; it was very pleasant even when I told her I was doing Leave. If I was handing out advice I would say have a real hard think about if you want to continue this case further.

Yours sincerely

George Laird

The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University