British MP faces 30-day suspension over breaching COVID rules in 2020

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - UK lawmaker Margaret Ferrier is facing a 30-day suspension from the House of Commons for breaching COVID-19 rules in 2020.

Ferrier spoke in parliament in September 2020 while awaiting the results of a COVID test. After receiving a positive result, she took a train home to Glasgow, in defiance of the restrictions in place at the time that she should immediately isolate.

She was sacked from the Scottish National Party, convicted for exposing the public to coronavirus, and sentenced to 270 hours of community service.

She had pleaded guilty and "unreservedly" apologized for breaching COVID-19 restrictions, saying "there is no excuse for my actions."

Parliament watchdog standards committee on Thursday said Ferrier's actions demonstrated a "lack of honesty," she "knowingly exposed others to risk" and therefore it recommends she "is suspended from the service of the House for 30 days."

The suspension could lead to a by-election in her Rutherglen constituency in Scotland.

According to the rules, any suspension of 10 days or more can trigger the Recall of MPs Act, which means that if 10% of an MP's constituents sign a petition, a by-election will be held.