MP means business
Under-fire Hamilton West MP Margaret Ferrier is set to rejoin proceedings in the Commons this week.
Ferrier has been drawn for a question to the Cabinet Office, in another sign that she intends to carry on as an independent despite being shunned by her party.
The MP was dumped by the SNP group in Westminster after she travelled from Glasgow to London by train with Covid- 19 symptoms in September and then made the return journey after testing positive.
Since ending selfisolation, the MP has voted by proxy on a few occasions with Jonathan Edwards, a suspended Plaid Cymru MP, casting a vote on her behalf.
Because of Covid rules, Ferrier can ask her question by remote video link.
She is listed to ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Michael Gove, on Thursday: “What steps he is taking with the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to ensure the adequacy of fuel and electricity supplies in the event of no agreement on the future relationship with the EU at the end of the transition period.”
It is still to be determined which minister will answer the question, which could be withdrawn or folded into another answer on the day.
In September the 60-yearold was suspended by the SNP in Westminster after travelling from Glasgow to London by train with Covid- 19 symptoms and then making the return journey after testing positive.
She also visited church the day after taking the test and several businesses across her constituency on the day she experienced symptoms.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, as well as several of Ferrier’s peers, were outraged by her actions and called for her to resign, but the MP has refused to step down and even referred to the incident as a “blip” and claimed the virus had made her act out of character.
The Metropolitan Police in London have since confirmed they would not take action but Police Scotland have said that the case remains under investigation.