James O'Brien calls for SNP MP Margaret Ferrier to resign
2 October 2020, 12:23
James O'Brien calls for SNP MP Margaret Ferrier "to go"
James O'Brien says SNP MP Margaret Ferrier "has to go" after she travelled 800 miles to and from London despite testing positive for coronavirus.
Nicola Sturgeon has called for the MP to step down along with calls in Westminster for her to be investigated by the police as she attended Parliament while waiting for her test result.
Ms Ferrier has "unreservedly" apologised for her actions, which James branded "refreshing" and said the Prime Minister and Dominic Cummings should take note.
James reflected that despite the fact he'd mentioned the "ghost of Cummings" in that commentary on her apology, and despite the fact he did "damage to the nationwide coronavirus strategy by breaking the rules that he put in place and then lying to your face about it in the Rose Garden at Number 10 Downing Street", James called for listeners to "forget it and move on."
Statement: pic.twitter.com/rdWYhIauYv
— Margaret Ferrier MP (@MargaretFerrier) October 1, 2020
James explained why the public must accept it: "Once you've backed Cummings, you are fire-proof in Boris Johnson's cabinet, because if you're going to go out publicly and lie for him he cannot sack. Otherwise whoever replaces you will know that even if they do go out and lie for you, he might still sack you so why the hell would they go out and lie for him?
"It is the Rosetta Stone which unlocks the entire conduct of this Cabinet at this time."
Returning to Ms Ferrier, James said this case needs to be looked at in isolation and the message needs to be sent out that the stakes are too high.
"There are still people in this country that still think it's exaggerated or flu or even a hoax. There are still people who don't appreciate the gravity of the situation as we potentially return to the worst days of the summer except in winter which will make everything worse," he said.
"She has to go."
