Margaret Ferrier 'has no future as our MP', say voters after Covid court case

Locals have called for her to step away completely from politics and say her reputation in the local community is in tatters.

We spoke to a number of people in Rutherglen's Main Street after Ferrier today admitted culpably and recklessly exposing the public to the virus ahead of a trial at Glasgow Sheriff Court.

Angela Kilpatrick, 53, said: “It was a very silly and frankly unforgivable thing to do.

“Those who make the rules should stick to them. She lost the whip and her position within the SNP but I don’t think she has any future as an independent representing this area either.

Angela Kilpatrick

“There were people who couldn’t visit their dying relatives in hospital during both lockdowns, yet she thought it was fine to flaunt the rules. It was a stupid error of judgement and I think it will take a lot of time for people here to forget what she did.”

The MP for Rutherglen and Hamilton West took a Covid test in September 2020 because she had a "tickly throat".

While awaiting her results, she visited St Mungo’s Church in Townhead and gave a reading to the congregation, and later spent more than two hours in a bar in Prestwick in Ayrshire.

The next day she travelled to London by train and spoke in the Commons before finding out a short time later that she had the virus.

A legal source, who has more than 25 years of experience within the judicial system, told the Glasgow Times that the cost of the case to the public purse is already likely to be in five-figures.

They said: “When you think of the previous callings of the case, the fact she had a QC, that the Crown would have poured significant resources into preparing for a trial that was scheduled to last 10 days, citing witnesses and the like, this would not have come cheap.

“It is difficult to calculate exactly what the taxpayer is out of pocket, but in my professional opinion you are comfortably looking at a sum running into five-figures.”

Several of the people we spoke to have called on Ferrier to immediately step down.

Anne McLeod, 55, from Rutherglen, said: “I’m glad she decided to plead guilty. She has wasted a lot of public money and time by dragging this out, she should have admitted all of this at the very outset.

Anne McLeod

“I hope this makes Margaret realise she is not above the law. We all suffered during lockdown and did our bit not to spread coronavirus. I just can’t understand why she thought it was appropriate to think she could just carry on as normal if she thought she was carrying it.

“She knew exactly what the rules were, her party at the time made them, so she knew fine well she was breaking them. Her selfish actions could have cost someone their life.”

Diane Robertson, 74, also from Rutherglen, labelled Ferrier’s actions as a ‘bad judgement’.

She added: “She did it and has to face the consequences now. I’m glad that she pleaded guilty and didn’t drag people through a trial, it was the right thing to do.

Diane Robertson

“As a politician, she should have known better, and her credibility in Rutherglen is badly damaged.

"However, I don’t think she should be totally vilified. She wasn’t the only person breaking the rules. Look at what has gone on in Downing Street and people got away with a fine and a slap on the wrist.”

Alison Rankin, who works in a Wallace Street butchers shop, said: “I don’t have an ounce of sympathy for her.

“She knew what she was doing. The rest of us followed the rules while Margaret thought she could just ignore them. Her behaviour was reckless at best.”

Married couple Cathy and Alex Sawyers, aged 60 and 64, said they felt Ferrier had ‘no option’ but to plead guilty in court.

They said: “As far as we are concerned, she has no integrity whatsoever. There was so much evidence against her, what else could she do but admit what she had done?

“She is finished as a politician here. She should step down from her seat and away from politics completely.”

Rutherglen pensioner Catherine Edgar, 75, added: “She has a brass neck. What she did was unforgiveable. Breaking the rules could have caused someone to fall very ill or even die.

“She should have pleaded guilty at the first opportunity. She has only done so now because there was no way of getting out of it.

"She has shown no contrition or remorse - and it is too late for either now.”

Local lady Margaret Harris, 71, however believes Ferrier could still repair her broken reputation.

She said: “I think everyone deserves a second chance. What she did was wrong, but at least Margaret has admitted that now. It happened so long ago, I think people have moved on and I can’t help but think she has been made a bit of a scapegoat.

“She needs to be contrite and apologise to the people she represents. She has shown this area in a bad light, but it is about what she does moving forward now.

“She needs to try and do something big for the community and make a statement in order for people to forgive her and move on.”