Commons Speaker fighting for his political life as dozens of MPs call for him to go after sparking chaos over Gaza vote

22 February 2024, 00:02 | Updated: 22 February 2024, 07:47

By Kieran Kelly

@kellyjourno

The Speaker of the House Commons is fighting for his political future after chaos broke out among MPs who accused him of allowing Labour to "hijack" a vote on a ceasefire in Gaza.

Sir Lindsay Hoyle was forced to apologise to MPs on Wednesday evening after he broke with convention to allow a vote on a Labour amendment calling for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

This broke with convention because it was an amendment to an SNP motion on opposition day, while the Government also had their own motion.

Following the uproar over the decision to accept the Labour amendment, more than 30 Tory and SNP MPs tabled a motion of no confidence in Sir Lindsay's speakership, spelling trouble for his future in the role.

The motion reads: "That this House has no confidence in Mr Speaker."

This motion has previously seen speakers leave the role, with one famous example including former speaker Michael Martin who resigned in 2009 in anticipation of losing the vote.

Natasha Clark joins Andrew Marr to discuss the fallout from the House of Commons today

Sir Lindsay, apologising to MPs and seemingly on the verge of tears, told MPs that Wednesday's debate was "exceptional in its intensity with which all parties wished to secure a vote on their own propositions".

He said he accepted all three amendments in an attempt to reflect "the widest range of propositions on which to express a view" and also because he had become "very, very concerned about the security of all members".

But Sir Lindsay went on to admit that what he intended had not happened and said he recognised the "strength of feelings of members on this issue".

It then emerged that the Labour Party amendment was passed by the House.

SNP'S Ian Blackford admits that what transpired in the Commons today was 'shameful'

Regardless of Sir Lindsay's apologies, the SNP continued to say that his position was compromised.

Richard Thomson, MP for Gordon, told LBC's Nick Ferrari at Breakfast that the Speaker's authority was "significantly diminished".

Mr Thomson said: "What we should be talking about is the 30,000 dead, the plight of the hostages, the collective punishment."

He added that the discussion should not be about a "procedural wrangle" and Sir Lindsay's future.

Stephen Flynn, leader of the SNP in the Commons, said he feared the Speaker's position is untenable, though he refused to call for him to resign.

'The idea that somehow he could be bullied into taking a decision is completely wrong.'

"I am afraid that is treating myself and my colleagues in the SNP with complete and utter contempt."

"Your position is intolerable," Flynn told the Speaker.

Speaking after the chaotic scenes in Westminster on Wednesday evening, Flynn said: “Today’s shameful events show Westminster is utterly broken.

“This should have been the chance for the UK Parliament to do the right thing and vote for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Israel - instead it turned into a Westminster circus.

“It is a disgrace that Sir Keir Starmer and the Speaker colluded to block Parliament voting on the SNP motion for an immediate ceasefire and against the collective punishment of the Palestinian people.

“More than 29,000 Palestinian children, women and men have been killed - and huge swathes of Gaza have been obliterated while Westminster equivocates.

“People in Gaza and Israel, and voters in Scotland, have been badly let down - they deserve so much better than this.

“The SNP will continue to press the UK government and parliament to back an immediate ceasefire. The time for equivocation is over.”

Reports emerged overnight that Sir Lindsay had been pressured into allowing a vote on Labour's amendment by the party's leadership. Labour has denied this.

Geoff Hoon, a former Labour chief whip, leader of the House, and Defence Secretary said: "The idea that somehow the Speaker of the House of Commons could be bullied into taking a decision is completely wrong."

He added that "any attempt at bullying would be counter-productive."

In his previous roles Mr Hoon had regular meetings with the Speaker to decide Commons business, "and there was always someone else present," he said.

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It followed chaotic scenes in the Commons this evening in which Tory and SNP MPs walked out of the commons in protest at Sir Lindsay.

Sir Lindsay controversially allowed MPs a vote on Labour’s amendment to an SNP motion calling for an “immediate ceasefire”.

He took the highly unusual step of selecting both a Labour amendment as well as a Government amendment to an SNP motion calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

The decision to select the Labour amendment was greeted in the Commons by Tory cries of “shameful”.

The move, which came in for criticism from the Conservatives and the SNP, means Labour MPs will be able to vote for Sir Keir's stance, announced on Tuesday, calling for an "immediate humanitarian ceasefire" in the Israel-Hamas war.

Such an outcome could have pushed those Labour MPs in favour of a ceasefire towards backing the SNP motion, in a repeat of a damaging rebellion that was witnessed in the autumn on the Middle East issue.

In the chamber, there was uproar at Sir Lindsay's decision to choose the Labour amendment for debate.

There were cries of "shameful" and "bring back Bercow" - a reference to the former speaker, Sir John Bercow, who was found guilty of bullying following a parliamentary investigation - as Sir Lindsay set out his reasoning behind selecting both the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition's amendments to the SNP motion.

Sir Lindsay explained that he wanted MPs to have the "widest possible range" of options on what he said was "a highly sensitive subject on which feelings are running high".

MPs then halted the debate to vote on whether the House of Commons should sit in private but the motion did not pass, with 20 for and 212 against.

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The House of Commons and its procedures have "descended into absolute chaos", SNP former Westminster leader Ian Blackford said.

"They've descended into chaos simply because of a decision taken by the Speaker earlier today.

"Is it too much to ask Madame Deputy Speaker that the Speaker is asked to come to this House and explain exactly why he took those decisions, the consequences of those decisions and how he intends to get this House out of the mess it currently finds itself in, and what reason, Madame Deputy Speaker, would you not suspend the House in order for the Speaker to come here and sort this mess out," he said.

Deputy Speaker Dame Rosie Winterton replied: "I said twice already that the Speaker set out this morning in detail why he'd made his decision and he will be in his place tomorrow."