Scotland’s first-ever recall petition for a sitting MP is opening on Tuesday, following the suspension of Margaret Ferrier from the House of Commons.
From 9am, voters in Rutherglen and Hamilton West will have the chance to sign a petition to recall their MP from Westminster.
If 10% of the electorate choose to do so – some 8,113 people out of 81,124 – then a by-election will be triggered.
Despite pressure to resign from her seat since breaching coronavirus rules, Ms Ferrier remains the MP, now sitting as an independent.
She urged voters not to sign the petition, saying her constituents are her “top priority”.
Earlier this month, she was suspended from the House of Commons for 30 days, beginning the recall petition process.
Any by-election would be closely contested between Labour and the SNP, both of which have chosen prospective candidates for the seat.
Ms Ferrier travelled from Scotland to Westminster after testing for Covid in September 2020 and went on to speak in the House of Commons while waiting for the results.
Later, after the test confirmed she was positive for the virus, she took the train back to Scotland.
In a statement on her website, Ms Ferrier said: “I made a mistake – for which I continue to apologise and have faced severe punishment.
“It has not deterred me from doing right by constituents and continuing to fight on their behalf. I hope that my constituents will recognise this.
It is ultimately up to the people of Rutherglen and Hamilton West to decide what happens next - not Westminster, not Holyrood, and certainly not any political party HQs— Margaret Ferrier
“As an independent MP, my constituents are my top priority and always have been.
“The most important thing is that they are able to access the right support when they need it, and can be confident that their views are represented. My record speaks for itself in this respect.
“I do not have any desire or need to play into party politics, which inevitably distracts from constituency issues and the needs of local residents.
“While parties have already spent months arguing about their candidates for a by-election that has not even been confirmed, they have disregarded the very real issues faced by many in our community.”
She said some of her constituents believe the instructions from the local authority on the recall petition are “unclear”, adding: “If you wish to see me continue as your MP, then do not sign the petition paper.
“It is ultimately up to the people of Rutherglen and Hamilton West to decide what happens next – not Westminster, not Holyrood, and certainly not any political party HQs.”
Labour’s candidate Michael Shanks has said people in the area “deserve so much better than a rule-breaking MP”.
The SNP’s candidate will be councillor Katy Loudon.
Ahead of the petition opening, she said: “Constituents in Rutherglen and Hamilton West have the opportunity to hold a by-election and elect an SNP MP who will stand up for them against this rotten Tory government. The first step in that process will be to sign the recall petition.
“In the face of Tory economic incompetence and a Labour Party looking more and more like a Tory tribute act, the people of Rutherglen and Hamilton West need a strong SNP voice to stand up for them.”
South Lanarkshire Council has organised the recall petition in line with statutory requirements.
There will be seven signing places across the constituency. Monday July 31 will be the last day on which they are open, with the petition closing at 5pm.
