Babak Belurs

Jumat, 02 Oktober 2020

Margaret Ferrier: Covid-positive MP faces calls to quit - BBC News

Margaret Ferrier is facing growing calls to resign as an MP after travelling on a London to Glasgow train after testing positive for Covid-19.

Ms Ferrier has been suspended from the SNP, but the party cannot sack her as an MP.

The SNP's Westminster leader has urged her to "do the right thing" and several MPs have openly called on her to step down from parliament.

Ms Ferrier has apologised and said she deeply regretted her actions.

The MP for Rutherglen and Hamilton West said she was feeling ill over the weekend and was tested for coronavirus but decided to travel to Westminster on Monday before getting her result because she was "feeling much better".

She spoke in the Commons chamber during a coronavirus debate - tweeting a video of her speech - but was told later that evening that she had tested positive for the virus.

Despite this, Ms Ferrier took a train back to Scotland on Tuesday, with SNP whips in the Commons being told about positive test on Wednesday morning.

A spokesman for the party said: "The SNP's chief whip immediately informed parliament authorities.

"The SNP only became aware on Thursday that Ms Ferrier had been tested prior to travelling to London and had travelled back to Glasgow, knowing that she had a positive result".

SNP sources have been reported as saying that party leader Nicola Sturgeon was only told on Thursday afternoon - after she faced opposition leader at first minister's questions in the Scottish Parliament.

Ms Ferrier's actions became public when she tweeted an apology at about 6pm on Thursday, with the party announcing an hour later that it has suspended her.

Ms Sturgeon subsequently tweeted that the MP's actions had been "indefensible".

Police Scotland confirmed they had been contacted by Ms Ferrier, saying officers were "looking into the circumstances" and liaising with the Metropolitan Police Service.

Ms Ferrier could face a £4,000 fine for a first-time offence of coming into contact with others when she should have been self-isolating under a law that came into force on the day of her positive test.

Ian Blackford, the SNP leader at Westminster, told BBC Breakfast Ms Ferrier should "reflect very carefully on whether she can continue as a Member of Parliament for her constituents".

He said: "Nobody is above the law, nobody is above the regulations" and added: "I am calling on Margaret to do the right thing."

Glasgow East MP David Linden, one of Ms Ferrier's former SNP colleagues, earlier told BBC Question Time that she "should resign" as an MP.

SNP MPs Kirsty Blackman and Stephen Flynn have also called for her to step down.

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross said Ms Ferrier's "reckless" actions had put the live of other people at risk.

He added: "It undermines the whole messaging of the Scottish government, the UK government and it has put people at risk - travelling hundreds of miles with symptoms and then with a Covid test result.

"At every turn there was an opportunity for Margaret Ferrier to minimise the risk to others and she ignored that."

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2020-10-02 07:12:20Z
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Kamis, 01 Oktober 2020

What did Margaret Ferrier do – and which other high-profile figures have broken coronavirus rules? - Sky News

SNP MP Margaret Ferrier is the latest high-profile figure to break coronavirus rules.

But what did she do and how does it compare to the political world's other rule-breakers?

Saturday 26 September

Ms Ferrier, MP for Rutherglen and Hamilton West, started experiencing "mild symptoms" of coronavirus in the afternoon and took a test. It is not clear where she was at the time.

Monday 28 September

Ms Ferrier said she was "feeling much better" so took a train from to London.

That evening, she gave a four-minute speech in the House of Commons during a debate on coronavirus.

At some point she received a positive result from the test but it is not clear whether this was before or after her parliamentary address.

Tuesday 29 September

Ms Ferrier said she boarded a train in the morning without seeking advice but began isolating when she arrived in Glasgow.

Wednesday 30 September

Two days after being notified about the positive test, she informed the SNP. Party officials have said they did not know at this stage that she had taken the test before travelling to London.

Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle was also told and contact tracing began.

Thursday 1 October

Ms Ferrier reported herself to Police Scotland and released a statement saying she was "very sorry for my mistake" and admitting she should have isolated while awaiting her test result.

SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford suspended the whip from Ms Ferrier and party officials said they became aware she had taken a test before departing for parliament and had travelled back to Scotland knowing it had come back positive.

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon condemned her actions as "utterly indefensible", but, despite growing calls for Ms Ferrier to go, Ms Sturgeon did not announce her sacking.

Other people who have found themselves in the spotlight over the lockdown rules:

Jeremy Corbyn

The former Labour Party leader attended a dinner with eight other people, breaking the "rule of six", which limits the number of people in social gatherings.

The report in The Sun said Mr Corbyn had apologised.

Stanley Johnson

The prime minister's father said he was "extremely sorry" after being pictured shopping in west London without wearing a face covering on 29 September, many weeks after they became mandatory.

Dominic Cummings

The prime minister's closest aide drove to Durham in March, more than 260 miles from where he lives in London - and after the prime minister instructed people they must stay at home.

He was recovering from coronavirus symptoms at the time but, despite calls for him to resign, he said he had behaved "reasonably" and had no regrets.

Professor Neil Ferguson

The scientist resigned in May from his role as a key government adviser after admitting that he had undermined social distancing rules by meeting his lover at his home.

Scotland Yard said his behaviour was "plainly disappointing" but did not fine him because he had "taken responsibility".

Dr Catherine Calderwood

Scotland's chief medical officer broke lockdown restrictions twice in April by visiting her second home, more than an hour away from her main residence in Edinburgh.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon wanted her to stay but she ultimately resigned.

Robert Jenrick

The housing, communities and local government secretary travelled more than an hour to visit his parents in April while everyone else was being told to stay at home.

Mr Jenrick was also criticised for travelling 150 miles from his London property to his Herefordshire home from where he travelled to his parents' home in Shropshire.

He insisted he was delivering food and medicine to his isolating parents.

Stephen Kinnock

The MP for Aberavon in South Wales travelled to celebrate his father's 78th birthday on 28 March, early in the lockdown.

His father is former Labour leader Neil Kinnock.

After Mr Kinnock posted a photo on Twitter of himself practising social distancing with his parents outside their home, South Wales Police replied: "We know celebrating your dad's birthday is a lovely thing to do, however this is not essential travel."

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2020-10-02 04:09:57Z
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Boris backed to drag UK out of EU without Brexit trade deal - 'Leave them behind forever!' - Daily Express

UK and European Union negotiators are meeting in Brussels this week for the ninth and final round of talks as both sides desperately try to find a crucial breakthrough and thrash out an agreement that can be rubber-stamped later this month. Michael Gove issued a huge warning to Brussels claiming the UK would happily walk away without a Free Trade Agreement if Brussels fails to compromise on a number of red lines that have continually held up talks. Now Express.co.uk readers have overwhelmingly backed the UK to leave the EU without a post-Brexit Free Trade Agreement in place.

The latest poll, which ran from 11am until 10pm on Thursday October 1, asked: “Would you be happy with Britain leaving EU without a trade deal?”

A huge 91 percent of the 23,690 people who voted - backed the move, with the remaining nine percent disagreeing. Less than one percent were undecided.

Responding to the poll, one Express.co.uk reader said: "Walk away Boris. We don't want any deal with the EU and we never have.

"Can't you understand that that is why you are Prime Minister? We want to be totally free. Leave the EU behind forever."

How is Boris Johnson handling the coronavirus crisis? Vote in our poll

A second person commented: "A deal is impossible. The UK has to protect its rights as a sovereign country. The EU doesn't accept that the UK can regain those rights.

"They will never be able to bridge that gap. Yet trade will still continue with the EU, businesses will find a way of doing business, probably just on a sector-by-sector basis.

"In the short term, the EU will have to get used to less fish and the UK will have to get used to less wine.”

Another Express.co.uk reader wrote: "The benefits to the EU from having the UK outside the bloc cannot be greater than the benefits from having the UK as a member.

Speaking during the Blue Collar Conservatism/Daily Express virtual conference this week, he said: “In the past, with some of the negotiations we have had with the EU we bent over backwards to be accommodating and we didn’t get the benefit of the doubt as a result.

“So now we are going to be absolutely crystal clear with the EU as we have been over the course of the last few weeks.

“Look if you are not going to talk turkey with us that’s fine. We can leave, we can say that’s it, no negotiated outcome we are ready come what may."

The Cabinet Office minister also dismissed reports Britain is conceding to the EU in a number of areas, adding: “The EU has this sort of 'kidology' approach.

“They try to use tactics to make voters in Britain and British politicians worried.

“I think one of the reasons they are coming out with this now is that they know in these negotiations we have stood firm throughout.”

Mr Johnson triggered the fury of EU leaders last month by pressing ahead with the Internal Market Bill, which would override key elements of the Withdrawal Agreement with the EU and consequently, risks breaking international law.

Downing Street insists the legislation is needed to protect the Northern Ireland peace process if Britain is unable to secure a deal with the EU.

But the European Commission has opened legal proceedings against the UK, with President Ursula von der Leyen confirming a "letter of formal notification" would be sent after ministers rejected a demand to withdraw the provisions from the Bill by Wednesday.

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2020-10-01 21:57:00Z
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Land speed record attempt: Driver dies at Elvington airfield - BBC News

A driver has died during a British land speed record attempt.

The fatal accident occurred at Elvington Airfield, a former RAF base near York, governing body Motorsport UK said.

It said the driver's family had been informed and an investigation into the circumstances had begun.

North Yorkshire Police said it was called to reports of a "serious collision" at the scene shortly after 16:30 BST.

Elvington was an RAF station until 1992, and has become a popular motorsports venue since entering private ownership.

It has hosted dozens of world record attempts, and is also used as a filming location.

On Sunday, Jason Liversidge, who has motor neurone disease, set a world speed record in his custom-made electric wheelchair.

In 2003, Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond was involved in a near-fatal crash at Elvington.

He suffered serious brain injuries when his jet-powered car crashed at almost 300mph, but made a full recovery.

Related Topics

Elvington

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2020-10-01 21:42:00Z
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BREAKING: MP suspended for taking train despite knowing she had COVID-19 - Sky News

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BREAKING: MP suspended for taking train despite knowing she had COVID-19 Sky News
MP Margaret Ferrier's Covid Parliament trip 'indefensible' BBC News
SNP MP Margaret Ferrier suspended after travelling between Westminster and Scotland with coronavirus Evening Standard
SNP MP stripped of whip for attending parliament with coronavirus The Independent
SNP MP Margaret Ferrier suspended for taking train after positive Covid test The Guardian
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2020-10-01 20:00:46Z
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MP Margaret Ferrier's Covid Parliament trip 'indefensible' - BBC News

Scotland's first minister says the actions of an SNP MP who travelled to Westminster despite experiencing Covid symptoms are "utterly indefensible".

Margaret Ferrier said she made the journey because she was feeling "much better" - but also travelled home after getting a positive test result.

The MP, who has been suspended by her party, said there was "no excuse for my actions".

Nicola Sturgeon tweeted her support for the decision to suspend the MP.

She said: "This is utterly indefensible. It's hard to express just how angry I feel on behalf of people across the country making hard sacrifices every day to help beat Covid.

"The rules apply to everyone and they're in place to keep people safe. @Ianblackford_MP is right to suspend the whip."

What is self-isolation and who has to do it?

Ms Ferrier said she took a test on Saturday - but travelled to London on Monday as she was feeling better.

The MP for Rutherglen and Hamilton West received a positive test result that same day, then took a train back to Scotland on Tuesday.

She said she had informed the police and that she deeply regretted her actions.

The SNP's Westminster leader Ian Blackford said on Thursday that he had spoken to Ms Ferrier, who accepted that what she had done was wrong.

He said: "Margaret will be referring herself to the parliamentary standards commissioner as well as the police. I am tonight suspending the whip from Margaret."

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Ms Ferrier said she took the weekend test after experiencing "mild symptoms", but travelled to London by train at the start of the working week.

She spoke in the coronavirus debate in the House of Commons on Monday, and said she received her positive test result that evening.

"I travelled home by train on Tuesday morning without seeking advice. This was also wrong and I am sorry," she said.

"I have been self-isolating at home ever since."

When someone tests positive for coronavirus they normally attract sympathy and concern.

But that's in extremely short supply for Margaret Ferrier after she admitted breaking Covid self-isolation rules.

She may have apologised for attending parliament and making lengthy journeys by public transport with coronavirus but she has not offered an explanation.

Her behaviour is far more serious than the lockdown travel breach that cost Catherine Calderwood her job as Scotland's chief medical officer.

It is also more serious than the lockdown travels of the prime minister's advisor, Dominic Cummings, who Mrs Ferrier called on to resign.

It is no surprise then that the Conservatives are demanding the MP for Rutherglen and Hamilton West stands down from Parliament.

She has already been suspended by the SNP and the party leader, Nicola Sturgeon, has described her behaviour as "utterly indefensible".

Labour MP Ian Murray said Ms Ferrier had shown "astonishing recklessness".

"She has put passengers, rail staff, fellow MPs, Commons staff and many others at unacceptable risk," he said.

"To breach the rules twice is simply unforgivable, and has undermined all the sacrifices made by her constituents."

Train drivers union Aslef described her actions as "both dangerous and disgraceful".

The Scottish Conservatives' Holyrood leader, Ruth Davidson, said knowingly taking public transport after testing positive for Covid-19 put lives at risk.

A House of Commons spokesperson said the House's priority was to ensure the safety of those working on the estate.

The statement added: "We have closely followed public health guidance on the action to take following a confirmed case of Covid on site.

"Parliament has a dedicated team to support the test and trace teams across the UK, acting as a central point of contact in the event of any suspected or confirmed cases, where an individual has been working on the estate."

Ms Ferrier was one of the MPs who called on the prime minister's advisor Dominic Cummings to resign in the wake of the controversy over his visit to the north east of England during lockdown.

At the time, she said his actions had "undermined the sacrifices that we have all been making" and described his position as "untenable".

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2020-10-01 19:18:45Z
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COVID-19 UK: Mayor rejects tougher lockdown rules in northern England - Sky News

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2020-10-01 18:27:51Z
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