POLITICAL FALLOUT
Friendship strained as MSP blasts Covid colleague
R Rutherglen MSP Clare Haughey h has branded disgraced party co colleague Margaret Ferrier’s re refusal to resign a “kick in the te teeth” to furious constituents w who are following safety g guidelines.
In a strongly-worded statement, Ms Hau Haughey – a friend of Ferrier – revealed that her own mother-in-law had passed awa away from coronavirus, and spoke of her “ang “anger” at the beleaguered MP’s actions. H Her moving intervention came after a wee weekend in which Ferrier revealed she had no intention of standing down from her £ £82,000-a-year role, despite continuing press pressure from across the political spectrum and from fr disgusted constituents. Biz Bizarrely, she blamed her actions – which includ included travelling to and from London by train, going to church, a trip to the seaside and visiting v several local businesses – on Co Covid- 19 making her behave “out of charac character”. Ferr Ferrier also accused her colleagues in
the SNP of “hanging her out to dry” after the scandal broke – and that she was promised her suspension from the party would only be temporary.
She claimed: “You feel you’re getting a lot of criticism from people you thought were your colleagues or friends who would understand it was one blip.
“They [ told me] were going to have to take the whip off me, but I would get back in because I was co-operating and had been honest.”
Her protestations provoked an irate response from Ms Haughey, who fumed: “To say that I am completely disappointed by Margaret Ferrier’s refusal to resign is an understatement – I am angry and I know I’m not alone feeling that.
“I have worked alongside her for many years, campaigning for and with her in elections, and counted on her as a friend.
“In that spirit, I ask her again to do the right thing, listen to the anger of her constituents, and resign as our MP.”
Ms Haughey then revealed her own f family’s personal Covid heartache.
She continued: “I, along with the overwhelming majority of Scottish people, have followed Scottish Government advice to protect others from Covid-19.
“I lost my mother- in- law to this cruel d disease. Under these tough but necessary r rules, my family were denied an opportunity t to get together, to mourn and share m memories. There was no wake – only a funeral s socially distant with no-one but immediate f family there.
“This experience is by no means unique, and the sacrifices many, many people have made for the sake of others is incalculable.”
Ms Haughey went on to thank local residents for adhering to coronavirus guidelines in the continued attempt to slow the spread of the illness.
She added: “As an MSP, I cannot thank people enough for sticking to the public health advice to keep each other safe.
“People in South Lanarkshire and across the Central Belt are living under particularly difficult restrictions to help stem the rise of Covid cases and deaths.
“Many of my close family members, like thousands of others, are key workers in our NHS and Police Scotland, and they have put their safety and lives on the line to protect and care for others during this pandemic.
“Margaret’s actions are a kick in the teeth for all those following the rules and those working to keep us safe.
“I’m not willing to sit idly by and I feel I must speak up again – Margaret must do the right thing and resign.”
Senior SNP figures including First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and the party’s Westminster leader Ian Blackford have also called upon Ferrier to quit.