There was mild pandemonium yesterday at the UK House of Commons of the Wednesday descended into chaos as the government and the Scottish National Party (SNP) condemned Speaker Lindsay Hoyle for his handling of a key vote on support for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Africa Today News, New York gathered that the Lawmakers from the SNP and the governing Conservative Party staged a walk out of the chamber on Wednesday in an apparent protest at the speaker’s actions.
The uproar against the backdrop of a decision by Hoyle to ignore precedent and allow a vote that helped the opposition Labour Party – which is tipped to win a national election later this year – avoid a large-scale rebellion among its own lawmakers over its position on Israel’s war on Gaza.
The debate in parliament was initiated by the SNP, which put forward a motion calling for an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza. Labour and the Conservatives then proposed amendments, with different conditions they said were necessary before there should be a pause in fighting.
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The amendments sought an “immediate humanitarian pause” – and not a ceasefire – and said that “Israel cannot be expected to cease fighting if Hamas continues with violence”.
In an unusual move, Hoyle selected both those amendments to be voted on, breaking with the precedent whereby one opposition party cannot alter another’s motion. Usually, only the government amendment would be selected.
Some lawmakers jeered the speaker when he announced his decision.
During the chaos, the Labour amendment was eventually approved verbally, without a formal vote where individual lawmakers’ views are recorded.
One member of parliament accused Hoyle, a former Labour lawmaker, of causing a “constitutional crisis”.
The government’s Leader of the House of Commons Penny Mordaunt said Hoyle had “hijacked” the debate and “undermined the confidence” of the House and said the government was pulling out of proceedings.
Hoyle’s decision allowed the Labour Party to avoid a potentially damaging split over the SNP motion. A similar motion, also tabled by the SNP in November, saw Labour leader Keir Starmer suffer the biggest revolt of his leadership.
Starmer, who initially gave full backing to Israel as it embarked on its war, is under increasing pressure from Labour lawmakers and party members to back an immediate ceasefire.