The UK House of Commons descended into chaos as the government and the Scottish National Party (SNP) condemned Speaker Lindsay Hoyle for her handling of a key vote on supporting a ceasefire in Gaza .
Lawmakers from the SNP and the ruling Conservative Party walked out on Wednesday, apparently in protest against the president’s actions.
The outcry follows Hoyle’s decision to ignore precedent and allow a vote that helped the opposition Labor Party – which is expected to win national elections later this year – avoid a full-scale rebellion among its own lawmakers over his stance on Israel’s war on Gaza.
The debate in Parliament was initiated by the SNP, which presented a motion calling for an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza. Labor and the Conservatives then proposed amendments, with different conditions they believed were necessary before there was a break in the fighting.
The amendments sought an “immediate humanitarian pause” – not a ceasefire – and said that “Israel cannot be expected to stop fighting if Hamas continues to use violence.”
In an unusual move, Hoyle selected these two amendments for a vote, breaking with precedent that one opposition party cannot amend another’s motion. Usually, only the government’s amendment would be retained.
Some lawmakers mocked the speaker when he announced his decision.
During the chaos, Labor’s amendment was ultimately approved verbally, without a formal vote in which the opinions of individual lawmakers were recorded.
One MP accused Hoyle, a former Labor lawmaker, of causing a “constitutional crisis”.
Government House Leader Penny Mordaunt said Hoyle had “hijacked” the debate and “undermined the confidence” of the House and said the government was withdrawing from the deliberations.
Hoyle’s decision allowed Labor to avoid a potentially damaging split over the SNP’s motion. A similar motion, also tabled by the SNP in November, saw Labor leader Keir Starmer suffer the biggest revolt from his leadership.
Starmer, who initially gave full support to Israel as it embarked on its war, is under increasing pressure from Labor lawmakers and party members to back an immediate ceasefire.
Tel Aviv Tribune’s Harry Fawcett, reporting from London, said Wednesday’s vote “ended up in this complete farce.”
“The Labor amendment passed because no Conservatives took part in the vote. The SNP motion, which started the whole story, was not voted on at all; the SNP and the Tories are furious,” he said. “Keir Starmer (and) his Labor Party have somehow extricated themselves from a tricky pickle, but it leaves Parliament extremely compromised. What was a serious debate on this crucial issue of civilian life in Gaza ended in this procedural nightmare.
It’s an absolute disgrace. Labor and the government managed to turn what should have been a solemn vote on ending the massacres in Gaza into a spectacle. They should be completely ashamed.
-Rohan Talbot (@rohantalbot) February 21, 2024
Ian Blackford, an SNP MP, told Tel Aviv Tribune that the day’s events in Parliament had distracted from events in Gaza and made the eventual vote less impactful.
“(The Labor Party) put forward this proposal which allowed them to vote, and the purpose of that – particularly when the government party (the Conservatives) were not involved – meant that our meaningful vote… was not taken.” , Blackford said. “I regret that tonight we have to discuss this, rather than discussing the need to protect the people of Gaza who need this ceasefire.”
A Conservative MP, William Wragg, presented a parliamentary motion expressing distrust of the president, a sign of the anger of some parliamentarians at what is seen as a departure from the traditionally neutral role of the president.
Hoyle returned to the House of Commons later that evening and apologised.
“I tried to do what I thought was the right thing for all sides of this House,” Hoyle said. “It is regrettable and I apologize that the decision did not result in the place I wanted.”