MP should quit after ‘ reckless’ actions says Sturgeon

SNP LEADER Nicola Sturgeon said she has made it “crystal clear” to Margaret Ferrier she should quit as an MP after breaking coronavirus rules by travelling between Glasgow and Westminster having tested positive for Covid- 19.

TheScottishFirstMinistersaid she has spoken to the MP, who had the SNP whip withdrawn after the incident emerged, but she was unable to get a “cogent explanation” for her actions.

Ms Ferrier was tested for coronavirus on Saturday after developing symptoms but took a train to Parliament on Monday when she should have been self- isolating. She gave a four- minute speech in the House of Commons at 7.15pm on Monday during a debate on coronavirus.

The same evening, Ms Ferrier said she received her positive test result – although it is not known if this was before or after speaking in Parliament. She then took the train back to Glasgow.

Ms Sturgeon has now joined mounting calls for Ms Ferrier to resign as an MP over her “reckless, dangerous and completely indefensible” actions.

She told the Scottish Government’s coronavirus briefing yesterday: “I’ve also spoken to her directly and made crystal clear to her that I think she should now resign as an MP.

“I don’t have the power to force an MP to sit down, no party leader has that power. But I can make my views known and – difficult though it is – I have done so, and I hope she will come to the right decision in the interest of the overall integrity of the vital public health messages.”

SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford said Ms Ferrier’s position as an MP is untenable following the “tremendous error of judgment”. He said Ms Ferrier’s SNP whip was withdrawn on Thursday morning when the party learned of her breaches of coronavirus rules.