FORMER SNP MP Margaret Ferrier has pleaded guilty to breaching Covid rules. 

The politician - who sits in the Commons as an independent - admitted to travelling on a train between Scotland and London after being told to self-isolate in September 2020.

Prosecutors claimed the politician had "recklessly" booked a test for Covid 19 and then visited other places, despite stating in the test booking application that she had symptoms of the disease.

The court heard that Ferrier attended a midday mass at St Mungo's parish church where she gave a reading to the congregation.

She then attended Vic's Bar in Prestwick where she stayed for two-and-a-half hours.

The next day Ferrier took a taxi journey from her home in Cambuslang to Central train station, where she picked up some shopping from Marks and Spencer before catching a train to London Euston. Prosecutors said there were 183 people on board.

She then checked into the £200 a night Park Plaza Hotel, Westminster Bridge, before attending the Houses of Parliament at 7.15pm, where she took part in a debate. 

Afterwards, Ferrier then sat at a table in the MPs tearoom usually allocated for SNP members speaking to the DUP's Jim Shannon.

When she received the positive result at 8.03pm by text and email, she then met with the then SNP chief whip Patrick Grady and told him she would return to Scotland in the morning because of an sick family member. 

Ferrier returned to her hotel at 9.20pm before heading back to London Euston the next morning.

The court heard that contact tracers for NHS Test and Protect attempted to contact Ferrier on four occasions but were unable to do so, leaving two voicemails.

Ferrier later contacted Test and Protect and disclosed that she had a "slight and infrequent cough" the day before her test.

Ferrier later contacted police and informed them of her breach before sending out a statement on her social media, saying: "Despite feeling well, I should have self-isolated while waiting for my test result and deeply regret my actions.

"I take full responsibility and I urge everyone not to make the same mistakes that I have and do all they can to limit the spread of Covid-19."

The MP also referred herself to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards. 

Despite that statement, Ms Ferrier initially pleaded not guilty, when charged with culpable and reckless conduct in January last year, paving the way for a ten day trial. 

However, she changed her plea in Glasgow Sherrif Court on Thursday. 

Prosecutor Mark Allan told the court: "The conduct amounted to a reckless disregard of public safety."

Sentence was deferred pending background reports until next month.

Ferrier was first elected as an SNP MP in 2015, but lost the whip after details of the rule flouting were made public in October 2020.

The admission of guilt will almost certainly increase pressure on her to stand down from the Commons.

 

The Herald:

However, in an interview with the Scottish Sun just weeks after news of the rule-breaking emerged, the MP insisted she would stay on. She suggested the illness had made her act out of character. 

She told the paper: “A lot of people say Covid makes you do things out of character. You are not thinking straight. I’m not making an excuse.

“At that moment when I thought it would come back negative and it was positive I was utterly shocked. You could have knocked me over.”

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has previously described Ferrier's actions as "dangerous and indefensible."

If she does not resign, she can only be removed from parliament if at least 10 per cent of her constituents sign a recall petition.

However, for Ferrier, that petition can only be triggered if she is suspended from the House of Commons for ten days following a report from the Committee on Standards, or if she is given a custodial sentence.

Scottish Tory Central Scotland MSP, Graham Simpson said the disgraced politician should take matters into her own hands.

He said: “Margaret Ferrier’s actions at the height of the pandemic were reckless and indefensible. It is astonishing that it has taken until the moment she stood up in court to admit her guilt at putting others at risk from a deadly virus.

“Over the near two years since her actions were exposed, Margaret Ferrier has shamefully refused to do the right thing and resign as a MP.

“She has had the brass neck to return and participate in Parliamentary proceedings. Her constituents across Rutherglen and Hamilton West who followed the rules deserve better from the individual they put their trust in to represent them.

“Her belated admission of guilt should now only accelerate the process of her doing the right thing and giving up being a MP.

“Her irresponsible behaviour fell well short of the standards expected from an elected representative, and she should no longer enjoy the benefits that comes with being an MP.”