Margaret Ferrier • Scottish National Party • House of Commons of the United Kingdom

    Margaret Ferrier • Scottish National Party • House of Commons of the United Kingdom

Margaret Ferrier is a former Member of Parliament (MP) for the Scottish National Party (SNP) who served in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. She was elected as the MP for Rutherglen and Hamilton West in the 2019 general election, but her time in office was cut short due to controversy surrounding her conduct during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In September 2020, Margaret Ferrier travelled from Glasgow to London by train, despite experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. She then attended a session of Parliament before testing positive for the virus. She subsequently travelled back to Scotland by train, potentially exposing others to the virus. Her actions were widely criticized by members of the public and politicians from all parties.

After the incident, Margaret Ferrier was suspended from the SNP and faced calls to resign as an MP. She initially refused to step down, but eventually resigned her seat in October 2020. The incident was a major embarrassment for the SNP, and it was widely seen as a breach of public trust.

The Scottish National Party is a political party in Scotland that advocates for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom. It has been in power in the Scottish Parliament since 2007 and has been represented in the House of Commons since the 1960s. The party has grown in popularity in recent years, particularly in the wake of the Brexit referendum, which saw Scotland vote overwhelmingly to remain in the European Union.

The House of Commons of the United Kingdom is the lower house of the British Parliament, which also includes the House of Lords. It is responsible for passing laws and holding the government to account. Members of Parliament are elected from constituencies throughout the United Kingdom, and serve for a term of five years.

Margaret Ferrier's conduct during the COVID-19 pandemic was widely condemned and highlighted the importance of following public health guidelines to prevent the spread of the virus. Her resignation also served as a reminder of the need for politicians to act with integrity and accountability, and to prioritize the public interest over personal gain.