A SCOTS MP has spoken of his frustration at the number of people who appear to be heading to the Highlands apparently to access holiday homes over the Easter weekend in defiance of coronavirus lockdown regulations.

Drew Hendry said their actions were “selfish and dangerous” and risked putting added pressure on services in his constituency as well as the rest of the Highlands.

Hendry, the SNP MP for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey, told The National: “A number of people have contacted me both by email and through social media to say that they’ve noticed an abnormally large number of people coming back into the area for the weekend, particularly around Aviemore and other parts of the constituency.

“It seems that people are trying to access holiday homes and ignoring the advice to stay put at the moment, which is selfish, dangerous and, for those of us trying to get the message across that the best way to save lives and stop putting added pressure on the NHS is to stop this movement, it’s very frustrating.

“Coming to the Highlands is a good idea in normal times, but during a health emergency people should be aware that they’re probably adding to the issue of stretching resources at a time when we could need them.

“And the more people that come into the area ignoring the good advice to stay home, stay safe, the more people are risking overloading the services within those rural locations that we have across this constituency and the Highlands.”

Hendry’s comments came as anger mounted over Labour life peer Lord Alan Haworth, who allegedly breached lockdown regulations to travel to the Black Isle, and Cabinet minister Robert Jenrick, who twice travelled 150 miles to his second home, despite telling others to remain at home.

READ MORE: Labour peer accused of breaching lockdown rules by going to second home

Haworth and his wife Margaret arrived in the village of Avoch from London on March 29, six days after the travel ban was implemented. They have been on the electoral register there since 2008 and also have properties in London and France.

Local people have claimed it is a holiday home, but SNP councillor Craig Fraser said one question of second homeowners could settle the argument: “Where do you have your post normally delivered, here or 200 miles away?”

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