MARGARET Ferrier, the MP who was convicted of breaching Covid laws, has been suspended from the House of Commons for 30 days.

The move, backed by MPs in a vote today, means there will be a recall petition in her Rutherglen and Hamilton West constituency that, if enough people sign, will lead to a by-election likely in a few months.

Ferrier was the SNP MP for the seat, having won it at the 2019 election, when she travelled from Westminster to Scotland in September 2020, despite testing positive for Covid at a time when strict lockdown rules were in force.

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She also spoke in the House of Commons and attended other meetings, when she should have been isolating.

The MP admitted culpably and recklessly exposing the public to the risk of infection, illness and death, and was given a 270-hour community payback order.

The Standards Committee recommended a 30-day ban from the Commons and it was approved by MPs in a vote by 185 in favour to 40 against.

For a by-election to take place 10% of the electorate in the area needs to sign the recall petition.