SNP to push for another Commons vote on ceasefire in Gaza

The Scottish National Party (SNP) plans to initiate another vote in the House of Commons regarding a ceasefire in Gaza, presenting a new challenge to both the Speaker, Lindsay Hoyle, and the Labour party following last week's tumultuous session.

Speaker Hoyle, after facing resignation calls for allowing Labour to propose a vote during an SNP-led debate for an immediate Gaza ceasefire, has heightened tensions among MPs, leading to a walkout by Tories and SNP members.

Stephen Flynn, the SNP's leader in Westminster, announced the intention to shift focus from parliamentary disputes to achieving an immediate Gaza-Israel ceasefire and pressing for definitive actions from the UK Parliament to support this goal.

These actions could involve leveraging the UK's diplomatic influence, especially through its UN Security Council seat, to endorse a ceasefire, and a potential call to halt UK arms sales to Israel—a stance likely to cause contention and possibly a divide within Labour.

The proposed motion, which the SNP has shared with all party leaders, calls for stopping all military equipment and technology transfers to Israel, as well as the cessation of new arms licenses.

Flynn expressed the SNP's aim to garner widespread agreement while acknowledging the need to significantly alter the approaches of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labour leader Keir Starmer, whom he characterized as overly cautious regarding the ceasefire. He also pointed out the SNP's impact in reframing the debate.

Speaker Hoyle granted the SNP an emergency debate under standing order 24, usually a rarely exercised and neutral motion that doesn't bind the government.

The treatment of this motion will be closely observed, recalling past controversies such as the Brexit debate when former speaker John Bercow permitted a substantive motion for an emergency debate, effectively allowing MPs to control the Commons schedule.

The motion's details, including specific actions, are set to be revealed by the SNP on Monday after discussions with the Speaker.

Meanwhile, Scotland's First Minister and SNP leader, Humza Yousaf, has publicly urged the UK government to discontinue arms sales to Israel, citing the severe outcomes observed and alleged breaches of humanitarian law.