A British MP is to stand trial accused of endangering public health by visiting a salon, church and leisure centre, and travelling by train from Scotland to London to attend parliament, after being told to self-isolate due to Covid-19 symptoms.
Margaret Ferrier is accused of defying government guidance over a four-day period in late September 2020 after she allegedly booked a coronavirus test and stated on the application that she had symptoms.
Prosecutors allege that after being told to isolate, the 61-year-old “culpably and recklessly” put people’s health at risk and wilfully exposed the public “to the risk of infection, illness and death” by leaving her home in Glasgow.
The Scottish lawmaker — who appeared in the dock — entered a plea of not guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to the single charge on Thursday.
The prosecution said she had visited Lifestyle Leisure Centre, Vanilla Salon and Sweet P Boutique in the Scottish town of Rutherglen, an area within her constituency. She is also accused of going inside St Mungo’s Church in Glasgow and Vic’s Bar in Prestwick.
She allegedly travelled by taxi from Cambuslang, a town on the outskirts of Glasgow, to the city’s central station where she is accused of having taken a 400-mile train journey to London Euston.
Having visited the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, along with other places unknown to prosecutors, Ms Ferrier is said to have returned to her home town by train.
Sheriff Johanna Johnston QC set a trial date for August 15, with a pretrial hearing to take place on June 14. The trial is expected to last around five days.
Fiscal depute Mark Allan said: “There will be a few police witnesses but the majority of the case will be taken up with civilian witnesses.
“There are also a number of civilian witnesses with significant commitments to parliament which will require to be worked around.”
Ms Ferrier was a member of the Scottish National Party at the time of the alleged incident but had the party whip removed after the allegations emerged.
She now stands as an independent MP for Rutherglen and Hamilton West.
Despite coming under pressure to resign from her seat, she continues to sit in the House of Commons as an MP.
As it stands, she will hold her £81,932 ($110,986) per year job until parliament is dissolved before the next general election, which must be held by May 2024 at the latest.
