Why has she STILL not quit? Nicola Sturgeon faces demands to join MP recall petition for SNP's Margaret Ferrier after her 800-mile round trip to Parliament with coronavirus symptoms

  • SNP's Margaret Ferrier facing fury for flouting coronavirus self-isolation rules 
  • Travelled to House of Parliament while suffering symptoms and taking a test 
  • Took train 400 miles back to Scotland after testing positive for the disease 
Nicola Sturgeon is facing demands to join a bid to oust Margaret Ferrier after he 800-mile round trip to Parliament while suffering coronavirus symptoms.
The MP has yet to resign from the Commons despite being stripped of the SNP whip and Ms Sturgeon publicly calling for her to go.
Scotland Yard confirmed it was looking into Ms Ferrier's admission that she travelled 400 miles from Glasgow to London while awaiting the results of a test, and then took the train back after being told it was positive.
Ms Ferrier could face a £4,000 fine for a first-time offence of 'recklessly' 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. 
The Scottish First Minister is now under pressure to sign up to a recall petition that could force Ms Ferrier out of her £82,000 a year job.
Nicola Sturgeon
Margaret Ferrier
Nicola Sturgeon (left) is facing pressure to back a recall petition to oust Margaret Ferrier (pictured right) from the Commons
Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross said today that he is 'surprised, amazed and shocked' that Ms Ferrier has not yet resigned.
He told Sky News' Sophy Ridge On Sunday her actions were 'irresponsible and dangerous'.
Meanwhile, Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard has said Ms Sturgeon must support a recall petition to remove Ms Ferrier, which could be triggered if she is suspended from the Commons for two weeks.
Under parliamentary rules, the MP would face a by-election if at least 10 per cent of her 81,000 constituents signed. 
Ms Ferrier travelled by train to London from Scotland last Monday while awaiting the results of a Covid test taken on Saturday, and then travelled back the following day after being told the test was positive. 
Images on her Twitter page showed her in several public places likely to have been busy on a Saturday, including the Vanilla Salon and South Lanarkshire Eastfield Lifestyle leisure centre in Rutherglen, and Sweet P gift shop in Burnside. 
Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle lashed out at her astonishing actions as she faced calls from her own party leader to quit the Commons. 
Ms Sturgeon used a series of expletives and said her 'head was in her hands' on being told that her 'friend and colleague' had broken the law, sources told the Times.
However, Ms Ferrier is resisting calls to quit and may seek to stay in the Commons as an independent, having referred herself to the parliamentary standards watchdog. 
Images on Ms Ferrier's Twitter page showed her in several public places likely to have been busy on a Saturday, including the Vanilla Salon and South Lanarkshire Eastfield Lifestyle leisure centre in Rutherglen (pictured with the MP centre)
Images on Ms Ferrier's Twitter page showed her in several public places likely to have been busy on a Saturday, including the Vanilla Salon and South Lanarkshire Eastfield Lifestyle leisure centre in Rutherglen (pictured with the MP centre)
The SNP has insisted it was unaware Ms Ferrier had taken a Covid-19 test on Saturday before travelling to Westminster to take part in a debate on coronavirus in the House of Commons on Monday.
By Ms Ferrier's own account, she was informed the test was positive that evening.
The Rutherglen and Hamilton West MP said she was screened after experiencing 'mild symptoms', meaning she should have self-isolated.
In a statement, she admitted she travelled home to Glasgow on Tuesday, where she has been self-isolating ever since. She apologised for her actions and said there was 'no excuse'.
The Metropolitan Police has confirmed it is investigating the journeys along with British Transport Police over potential breaches of the Health Protection Regulations 2020. 

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