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鈥楧isagreeing well鈥� 鈥� the lesson in civility other politicians could learn from Kezia Dugdale鈥檚 鈥楻omeo & Juliet鈥� romance

28 June 2018

Two households, both alike in dignity,
In fair Holyrood, where we lay our scene…

In July 2017 Kezia Dugdale, then leader of the Scottish Labour Party and SNP MSP Jenny Gilruth made headlines when they announced they were in a relationship.

Speaking on Stark Talk, Dugdale likened their cross-party romance to that of Romeo and Juliet.

The similarities are obvious, with the opposing Labour and Scottish National parties of Holyrood assuming the roles of the feuding Montague and Capulet families of Verona.

“We became the best of friends and then we fell in love,” explained Kezia. “I think those are fantastic foundations for any relationship.”

Kezia Dugdale discusses her 鈥楻omeo & Juliet鈥� romance

The former Scottish Labour Party leader on her relationship with SNP MSP Jenny Gilruth.

Disagreeing well

Outsiders may wonder how the women manage to maintain a relationship when they sit on different sides of the debating chamber, but Kezia revealed they have a very simple solution – they disagree well.

“There’s a lovely lesson in that for the whole country at the moment,” she said.

“We’re not going to fall out because we have different views on independence or a vote in the parliament that day.

We can talk kindly and gently and properly about what we think.”

It’s an approach she believes members of all parties should consider.

“Could you imagine if our politicians could do that around Brexit or, dare I say it, on the question of independence?"

The First Minister鈥檚 response

Love against the odds

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