Margaret Ferrier will be able to return to the House of Commons from today. The MP for Rutherglen and Hamilton West has now served her 30-day suspension and as of Monday 10 July she is now eligible to return to Westminster and rejoin the House of Commons. It is not yet clear whether or not she plans to attend the UK Parliament or not. MPs voted to suspend Ms Ferrier after she broke coronavirus lockdown rules back in September 2020. Ms Ferrier broke the rules by speaking in the parliament while waiting for the results of a Covid test. After testing positive, she then took a train back home to Glasgow in a bid to avoid self-isolating in a London hotel. She was ordered to carry out 270 hours of community payback after she admitted culpably and recklessly exposing the public “to the risk of infection, illness and death”. At this point Ms Ferrier had the SNP whip removed from her and ever since she has sat in the House of Commons as an independent MP. She won the seat for the SNP in 2019 with a majority of 5,230. In June she was then suspended from the House of Commons after a vote and a recall petition opened in her constituency. If more than 10 per cent of her constituents, which is about 8,000 people, then a byelection will be triggered. Previously Ms Ferrier said: “While parties have already spent months arguing about their candidates for a byelection that has not even been confirmed, they have disregarded the very real issues faced by many in our community. “That is why so many constituents have expressed to me that they do not want a byelection.” She added: “If you wish to see me continue as your MP, then do not sign the petition paper.” The recall petition, which can be signed in 10 official locations in her Rutherglen and Hamilton West constituency, will remain open until the end of July.
