Following a chaotic debate regarding a ceasefire in Gaza, the speaker of the House of Commons, Lindsay Hoyle, apologized not just for the chaos but also for allowing a Labour motion calling for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire” by looking past parliamentary precedent to allow Labour to bring its motion to a vote.
Conservative and Scottish National party MPs expressed anger toward the decision, which Hoyle stated was made to look through a wide range of opinions, as some MPs are attempting to remove Hoyle from his position while Conservatives are being urged to ignore common practice and vote against him at the general election.
Following the Labour’s amendment pass, Tory and SNP MPs walked out of the chamber, and Labour leader Keir Starmer accused them of “choosing political games over serious solutions”.
When the six-hour debate ended after shouting and accusations of Hoyle's bias, the speaker issued a statement of apology.
He said, “It is clear that today did not show the house at its best. I will reflect on my part in that of course,” adding, “I have tried to do what I thought was the right thing for all sides of this House. It is regrettable, and I apologise, that the decision didn’t end up in the place that I wished.”
This comes after Labour MPs warned Starmer that they would rebel against party orders and vote for the SNP's amendment for an immediate ceasefire unless he offered something similar, while some sources say that at least two shadow cabinet ministers were going to resign over the matter.
An “immediate humanitarian ceasefire” was called for by Labour, which said could only go through if the Palestinian Resistance was no longer a "threat" to "Israel". Labour originally opposed the SNP's motion as a result of no clear conditions stated for the ceasefire.
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Then, Labour MPs warned Starmer of his biggest challenge since taking office that they would vote for the SNP motion rather than his, which prompted an intervention by Starmer and thus Hoyle's decision.
Starmer has faced increasing condemnation in the UK for his pro-"Israel" stance amid the staggering number of martyrs in Gaza. Several councilors affiliated with the Labour Party have tendered their resignations recently in protest of Starmer, who expressed support for what he termed the Israeli "right" to restrict power and water supplies to Gaza.
Hoyle later admitted that he decided to allow both amendments to go through because of threats to the personal safety of many MPs.
His clerk Tom Goldsmith wrote a letter criticizing him and saying that the decision was “a departure from the long-established convention for dealing with such amendments”.
Tory MP William Wragg tabled a parliamentary motion of no confidence in the speaker, which 33 MPs, mostly from the SNP, had signed. Penny Mordaunt, the leader of the House, announced that the UK government does not intend to participate in the voting, which allowed the Labour amendment to pass unopposed.
But Mordaunt still criticized Hoyle and said he “hijacked” the debate and “undermined the confidence of the Commons," and later accepted Hoyle’s apology, noting, “You’re our speaker, and we wish you to defend the rights of all members of this House.”
SNP leader in Westminster, Stephen Flynn, said, “We have seen the SNP opposition day turn into a Labour party opposition day, and I’m afraid that that is treating myself and my colleagues in the Scottish National party with complete and utter contempt. I will take significant convincing that your position is not now intolerable.”