Margaret Ferrier Booted from Parliament After COVID Train Scandal
Margaret Ferrier, former MP for Rutherglen and Hamilton West, has officially lost her seat following a successful recall petition. Over 14% of voters in her constituency signed the petition, triggered by her reckless behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic in September 2020.
Train Ride to Westminster Sparks Outrage
Ferrier sparked fury when she travelled by train to Westminster despite showing COVID-19 symptoms. After attending a Commons debate, she was slammed for endangering public health and tarnishing Parliament’s reputation. A police probe found she had “culpably and recklessly” exposed others to the virus.
- She attended church and had lunch with family while awaiting her test results.
- Then she made the train journey to London before testing positive.
- She was suspended from Parliament for 30 days and ordered to complete 270 hours of unpaid work.
Voters Send Ferrier Packing
The recall petition opened on June 20 and closed just days ago. Out of 81,123 registered voters, 11,896 signed up—well above the 10% threshold needed to remove her. South Lanarkshire Council confirmed the result on Tuesday night, with 37 returns rejected.
Ferrier’s Appeal Fails — Seat Lost
Despite apologising and claiming her mistakes made her a better MP, Ferrier’s appeal fell flat. An independent panel upheld the suspension, sealing her fate. With the recall successful, she is officially out of Parliament.
Her political career now faces an uncertain future after a scandal that shocked her constituents and the nation.
