IAN Blackford, the SNP leader at Westminster, has written to the Labour peer at the centre of allegations that he breached coronavirus restrictions by travelling from London to the Black Isle.
His letter to Lord Alan Haworth came as a neighbour in Avoch told The National the life peer and his wife arrived in the village a week after holidaying in Italy, which had been the European epicentre of the Covid-19 outbreak.
The resident, who said they had lived in the village for most of their life, said that after reading The National’s original story, they felt “compelled” to give us more information.
They did not want to be named through fears of a backlash in the close-knit community, but they also cast doubt on Haworth’s denial that the cottage was their main residence.
“Last year they were up no more than eight times in the year – seven times for a weekend and the other time was for one week,” they said.
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The resident went on to claim they saw the Haworths arrive with their bags on the second day of the lockdown.
“The first thing they did when they arrived was visit local people they know.
“Alan and Maggie have just came back from a holiday in Italy the week before they came here. This doesn’t seem very sensible in containing the coronavirus from another highly infectious country. They have been out every day they have been here – so much for essential shopping.”
They added: “Today, Easter Saturday, they have put up a ‘clap for carers’ sign in their window.
“The irony is not lost since they cannot be supporting the NHS when they flout the rules daily.”
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In his email to Haworth, Blackford asked if he had indeed arrived in Avoch on the second day of the lockdown, and quizzed him about the claims surrounding his Italian holiday.
He wrote: “You will be aware of the emergency legislation that prohibits non-essential travel and if your property in Avoch is a holiday home this would not be permissible under the legislation. Can you confirm?
“You will be aware that non-compliance with the travel restrictions will in the first instance be a matter for the police.
“Your response to me will determine whether or not I make the police aware of this matter.
“It has been suggested that immediately before coming to Avoch, that you spent a week on holiday in Italy.
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“Can you clarify this and if indeed you did visit Italy what arrangements did you put in place for self-isolation either in London or Avoch?
“It would have been the case that Italy was very much the epicentre of the European Covid-19 outbreak when you were there.”
Blackford also raised claims that the couple had visited Avoch no more than eight times in the past year, adding: “Many would argue that if this is correct, it stretches any argument that your cottage in Avoch is your principal home, let us be charitable, to an extraordinary extent.
“Your comments on this would be welcome.”
The peer told Blackford in an email that “the average number of weekends I spent here [Avoch] each year over the previous 10 years is 19; the range varying between 17 and 24”.
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He added: “We also have a home in France and we spend on average 12 weeks there, each year.”
Haworth told The National he and his wife had not been to Italy and described the allegations as “malicious”.
He said: “There are indeed as you say persistent allegations about this. They started maybe 10 years ago.
“It is not a holiday home. It is our home.
“We have not been on holiday to Italy.
“I can only surmise that these allegations are malicious, but they are certainly false.
“That’s all I wish to say.”
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