Police investigate MP’S 800-mile round trip
The Metropolitan Police has launched an inquiry with the British Transport Police into the 800-mile round trip by Margaret Ferrier, the SNP Rutherglen and Hamilton West MP who travelled from Scotland to Westminster and back while suffering from coronavirus. Nicola Sturgeon, the SNP leader, said that she had made it “crystal clear” to Ms Ferrier that she should quit. But Ms Ferrier, 60, gave no indication to the First Minister whether or not she would resign.
POLICE last night launched an investigation into a disgraced SNP MP who travelled from Scotland to Westminster and back while suffering from coronavirus.
The Metropolitan Police said it had launched an inquiry with the British Transport Police into the 800-mile round trip by Margaret Ferrier, the Rutherglen and Hamilton West MP.
The announcement came after Nicola Sturgeon said she had made it “crystal clear” to Ms Ferrier that she should quit over her “reckless, dangerous and completely indefensible” decision. In a direct message to Scots furious at Ms Ferrier being guilty of “possibly the worst breach imaginable”, Ms Sturgeon insisted that “the rules apply to everyone” including her MPS and pleaded with them to retain “confidence in the advice I give you” on the pandemic.
But Ms Ferrier, the 60-year- old Rutherglen and Hamilton West MP, gave no indication to the First Minister whether she would resign despite being the subject of investigations by the police and the Commons authorities.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “Following consultation with Police Scotland, officers from the Metropolitan Police, working with British Transport Police, are conducting an investigation into potential offences. The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards has been informed.”
Although Ms Ferrier has been suspended from the party, Ms Sturgeon said she did not have the power to force her to step down as an MP, and insisted she could not expel her from the SNP without “due process”.
However, Douglas Ross, the Scottish Tory leader, said the SNP’S account was “full of holes” over when they knew about Ms Ferrier’s actions and questioned why Ms Sturgeon could not immediately kick her out of her party.
Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Commons Speaker, said he was “very, very angry” at Ms Ferrier’s behaviour. In an email to staff, Sir Lindsay said Thursday “was not a good day for the House of Commons – thanks to the reckless and unacceptable behaviour of one MP.” However, he said contact tracing had been completed and the MP’S single close contact identified.
Ms Ferrier took a coronavirus test last Saturday after feeling unwell but took the train on Monday to London while she awaited the results because she was “feeling much better”. She spoke at 7.15pm in the Commons chamber during a coronavirus debate, but was told later that evening that she had tested positive for the virus. Instead of self-isolating, she made the 400-mile trip back to Scotland by train on Tuesday. She informed Patrick Grady, the party’s chief whip at Westminster, on Wednesday afternoon that she had tested positive for the virus and he informed the Speaker’s office.
But senior SNP sources said Mr Grady and Ian Blackford, the party’s Westminster leader, only discovered on Thursday morning that Ms Ferrier had been tested before her trip to London and not after.
Jim Shannon, the DUP MP for Strangford, yesterday announced he was selfisolating at home as a precaution after sitting at the same dining table as Ms Ferrier on Monday evening. However, he had so far tested negative.