Margaret Ferrier MP pleads guilty to Covid rule breach

Scottish MP Margaret Ferrier has admitted breaching Covid rules by taking the train while positive with the virus.

Then an SNP politician, Ferrier lost the party whip when it emerged that she had travelled from London back to Glasgow after testing positive in September 2020, when stringent pandemic control rules were in place.

Now an independent MP, she has admitted culpably and recklessly exposing the public to the virus in a plea lodged at Glasgow Sheriff Court.

The incident took place before the rollout of the coronavirus vaccine programme and the charge states that she failed to self-isolate and had "exposed people to risk of infection, illness and death".

Ferrier, who represents Rutherglen and Hamilton West, spoke in parliament before taking the train journey in question. At the time of that speech, she was awaiting the results of a Covid test taken on Saturday 26 September after developing a "tickly throat".

She also attended church and went to a pub in Ayrshire town Prestwick that weekend before taking a train to London to attend parliament. Ferrier received her test results the following day and opted to return to Scotland to avoid self-isolating in a London hotel for a fortnight.

She later said she "deeply regretted" her actions.

Sentence was deferred until next month, pending background reports.