Ex-SNP MP Margaret Ferrier faces a 30-DAY ban from the Commons – and a potential by-election – for travelling across Britain by train when she knew she was ill with Covid
A former SNP MP could lose her seat after being handed a 30-day ban from the Commons for travelling across Britain when she knew she was ill with Covid.
Parliament’s Committee on Standards has recommended the punishment for Margaret Ferrier over her incredible breach of coronavirus rules.
The MP travelled in and around Glasgow and to London in September 2020 after taking a test, instead of isolating.
While awaiting the results, she spoke in the Houses of Parliament and visited places in London. She then returned to Scotland after receiving a positive result.
Ms Ferrier, who was kicked out by the SNP over the astonishing journey, has already been ordered to do 270 hours of unpaid work after admitting culpably and recklessly exposing the public ‘to the risk of infection, illness and death’.
But the Committee today handed down what is an unusually long suspension, saying ‘if Ms Ferrier had been a public sector employee in a position of trust or leadership, she could have faced severe disciplinary consequences, potentially including dismissal, for these or similar actions’.
The length of the ban would allow a recall petition to be raised in her Rutherglen and Hamilton West seat, which could trigger a by-election and hand a huge early test to new SNP First Minister Humza Yousaf.
Scottish Labour called for the MP to stand down and said it would push for a recall petition if she did not.
Parliament’s Committee on Standards has recommended the punishment for Margaret Ferrier over her breach of coronavirus rules.
The length of the ban would allow a recall petition to be raised in her Rutherglen and Hamilton West seat, which could trigger a by-election and hand a huge early test to new SNP First Minister Humza Yousaf.
Ms Ferrier had a 5,230 majority in her seat at the last election, but it has been an SNP/Labour swing seat in the past two decades
Shadow Scottish Secretary Ian Murray said: ‘Margaret Ferrier’s reckless actions put people at risk and rode roughshod over the rules everyone else followed.
‘It is right that Parliament has thrown the book at her for this unacceptable behaviour. ‘There are still serious questions for the SNP to answer on what they knew and what they did at the time.
‘Ferrier should do the right thing and stand down as an MP. Even Nicola Sturgeon called for her to resign – now Humza Yousaf must do the same.
‘If Margaret Ferrier doesn’t resign the people of Rutherglen and Hamilton West can exercise their right to boot her from office.
‘Her constituents deserve better and that means a by-election.’
Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards Daniel Greenberg said Ms Ferrier had breached code of conduct for MPs ‘by placing her own personal interest of not wishing to self-isolate immediately or in London over the public interest of avoiding possible risk of harm to health and life’.
She also breached the code because ‘her actions commencing from when she first took a Covid-19 test to when she finally begins self-isolation have caused significant damage to the reputation and integrity of the House of Commons as a whole, and of its Members generally’.
The 62-year-old told the commissioner her decision to travel home after she got a positive test result ‘was made whilst in a state of shock and anxiety, even panic’.
‘I did not at any time believe that I was acting in my own self-interest but believed I was taking the safest step in the unfortunate set of circumstances that I had myself created when I made the decision to travel to London, a poor decision which I now bitterly regret,’ she added.
The Commons Standards Committee recommended she should face a 30 day suspension, which MPs will be asked to approve.
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