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Scottish MP Margaret Ferrier arrested - culpable and reckless conduct

  • 04-01-2021 7:36pm
    #1
    biko
    Registered Users Posts: 81,223 ✭✭✭✭


    Ferrier is accused of taking the train from Glasgow to London while infected with Covid-19 in September.

    Cops say the arrest follows a "thorough investigation" into the alleged breach of coronavirus rules.

    A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We can confirm that officers today arrested and charged a 60-year-old woman in connection with alleged culpable and reckless conduct.

    https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/6490321/snp-mp-margaret-ferrier-arrested-charged-covid-breach/


Comments

  • #2
    Kivaro
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,105 ✭✭✭Kivaro


    And rightly so.


  • #3
    Be right back
    Registered Users Posts: 6,035 ✭✭✭Be right back


    It was a horrible thing to do.


  • #4
    Northernlily
    Registered Users Posts: 2,573 ✭✭✭Northernlily


    About time and interesting that it's on the eve of a tough lockdown in Scotland. That has to come into play.

    I'm just wondering, as the investigation took this long have they traced back all the close contacts and determined the effect of the damage that has occurred by her actions.

    She seems like and utterly odious individual.


  • #5
    Deeper Blue
    Registered Users Posts: 7,528 ✭✭✭Deeper Blue


    Thoroughly deserved, one of the most idiotic things I've heard anyone doing since this started.

    It's a pity for her that she doesn't work for RTE, if she did you can be sure she'd still be in a job.


  • #6
    JP Liz V1
    Registered Users Posts: 84,921 ✭✭✭✭JP Liz V1


    We need these punishments here
    https://forumofgames.com/




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  • #7
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    I wonder though, she tested positive in London and lives in Scotland. What she should have done was book a hotel for the duration of her isolation. That would cost a fortune I'm sure. Or maybe a guest house place?


  • #8
    beggars_bush
    Registered Users Posts: 4,341 ✭✭✭beggars_bush


    Deleted User wrote: »
    I wonder though, she tested positive in London and lives in Scotland. What she should have done was book a hotel for the duration of her isolation. That would cost a fortune I'm sure. Or maybe a guest house place?

    MP would have claimed expenses for it
    It was a terrible thing to do

    A few convictions for those not isolating after a positive test here would certainly help adherence


  • #9
    Northernlily
    Registered Users Posts: 2,573 ✭✭✭Northernlily


    [Deleted User] wrote: »
    I wonder though, she tested positive in London and lives in Scotland. What she should have done was book a hotel for the duration of her isolation. That would cost a fortune I'm sure. Or maybe a guest house place?

    -Went for test in Scotland
    -Whilst awaiting results went to gym and salon in Scotland
    -Whilst still awaiting results boarded a train in Glasgow and travelled to London
    - Spoke in the House of Commons
    -Received positive test result
    -Travelled back on train to Scotland knowing positive test result.

    Grim.


  • #10
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    [Deleted User] wrote: »
    I wonder though, she tested positive in London and lives in Scotland. What she should have done was book a hotel for the duration of her isolation. That would cost a fortune I'm sure. Or maybe a guest house place?

    She had her test in Scotland and travelled to London before getting her result.


  • #11
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Yes all of that paints a terrible picture especially the visits to the shops. I didn't think about her being able to claim expenses. She had nothing stopping her from staying put.


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  • #12
    Louis Friend
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 590 ✭✭✭Louis Friend


    Or rent a car


  • #13
    46 Long
    Closed Accounts Posts: 355 ✭✭46 Long


    She made a mistake and her position as an MP is clearly untenable. That said, a criminal prosecution for this is excessive and sets a very dangerous precedent, no matter how much it appeals to the curtain twitchers.


  • #14
    Northernlily
    Registered Users Posts: 2,573 ✭✭✭Northernlily


    46 Long wrote: »
    She made a mistake and her position as an MP is clearly untenable. That said, a criminal prosecution for this is excessive and sets a very dangerous precedent, no matter how much it appeals to the curtain twitchers.

    If Dominic Cummings was prosecuted the outcome would have been very different in the UK.

    We would not even be talking about Margaret Ferrier.


  • #15
    L1011
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 67,599 Mod ✭✭✭✭L1011


    Swing seat so she'll likely have to be pushed - recall process possibly - rather than walk or be pushed from within the SNP


  • #16
    Bannasidhe
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 19,219 Mod ✭✭✭✭Bannasidhe


    L1011 wrote: »
    Swing seat so she'll likely have to be pushed - recall process possibly - rather than walk or be pushed from within the SNP

    I agree.
    She was suspended by the SNP in Oct but they haven't made any moves to expel as they were waiting for the police investigation to be concluded - I would be surprised if she wasn't expelled tbh.

    But as she holds her seat regardless of whether she is in a political party or not so it remains to be seen will she resign as an MP if she doesn't then it may be possible for her constitutions to recall her and force a byelection under the Recall of MPs Act - does her (alleged -she hasn't been actually convicted as yet) crime fall under it's provisions?

    So, in short if Ferrier doesn't jump the only people who can push her are the electorate of her constituency - it's out of the SNP's hands no matter what they do but bad PR if they don't cut her loose.


  • #17
    Sweet.Science
    Registered Users Posts: 2,837 ✭✭✭Sweet.Science


    I remember hearing this story when it first happened

    I assume an arrest was pushed for by her peers as she wont resign ?


  • #18
    Bannasidhe
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 19,219 Mod ✭✭✭✭Bannasidhe


    Sweet.Science wrote: »
    I remember hearing this story when it first happened

    I assume an arrest was pushed for by her peers as she wont resign ?

    It's not up to her peers - it's up to the DPP(s), and in this case she committed her (alleged) crimes in two different legal jurisdictions so it wasn't cut and dried who would arrest her - Scottish or English authorities.

    I don't know the respective laws in place in Scotland and England at the time of her offence but they may not have been the same - it is possible she may have committed a crime in one but not in the other. Remember Cummings did similar - but only in England - and got off scot free (pardon the pun).

    She has been arrested by the Scottish police - what actions the Met in London will take remain to be seen.

    But even if convicted that does not necessarily mean she looses her seat automatically. Her constituents would need to 'recall' her which means getting a petition with a certain amount of signatures together to force a byelection.
    She could, theoretically, stand in that byelection - and win.

    Our own Minister for Agriculture went shopping in Dublin while waiting for the results of a test and ended up being positive - that seems to have been quietly swept under the carpet.


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