Wings Over Scotland blogger Stuart Campbell has begun court proceedings over claims that Labour politician and I’m a Celebrity star Kezia Dugdale defamed him in a newspaper article.
Lawyers acting for the pro-independence campaigner have started an action at Edinburgh Sheriff Court claiming Ms Dugdale made comments in a newspaper column which damaged his personal reputation.
Mr Campbell is suing Ms Dugdale for £25,000 after she accused him of homophobia.
Ms Dugdale told MSPs at First Ministers Questions on May 18 that she “called out” Campbell in a newspaper column because of “homophobic comments” he had made about Tory MSP Oliver Mundell, the son of Scottish Secretary David.
Mr Campbell rejects the claims of homophobia and has started proceedings in a bid to secure damages from Ms Dugdale.
During a short procedural hearing on Thursday morning, Ms Dugdale’s lawyer, advocate Duncan Hamilton, told Sheriff Norman McFadyen that his client believes that her comments were truthful.
A second hearing will take place some time in the new year. The exact dates have still to be arranged.
Ms Dugdale is expected to make her debut on the ITV show I’m A Celebrity tonight. She has come under fire for leaving for Australia during Parliamentary time.
She says she will donate the relevant portion of her MSP salary to a charity for the homeless.
WATCH: Kez's message to constituents, explaining why she is appearing on I'm a Celebrity. #TeamKez. pic.twitter.com/suOp0XeqWw
— Team Kez ? (@TeamKez) November 22, 2017
