Recall of MPs

It was announced today that SNP MP Margaret Ferrier had lost her seat following a successful recall in her constituency. Ferrier had broken lockdown rules during the first covid wave in 2020, travelling to and from London in knowledge that she had tested positive for covid.

The Commons’ standards committee recommended in March that Ferrier should be suspended and MPs then voted to suspend Ferrier from the Commons for 30 days, a decision which automatically allowed for a recall petition to begin in her constituency. Under the Recall of MPs Act 2015, 10% of the electorate in her constituency of Rutherglen and Hamilton West had to vote to remove Ferrier. A total of 11,896 out of the 81,124 constituents signed the petition which meant that she was removed from office and a by election will now be held.

Ferrier became just the third MP to be subject to a recall petition and removed from office.

To be subjected to a recall petitions, MPs would either have to be suspended from the House of Commons for 14 days or receive a prison sentence for a criminal act. MPs cannot face recall for politically related matters such as their voting record or political positions that they take.