Sir Keir Starmer can breathe a sigh of relief this afternoon. The Speaker has selected his party’s amendment on a Gaza ceasefire, after an hour of frenzied lobbying from the Labour Whips’ Office. Lindsay Hoyle told MPs that he has selected both the Labour and government amendments as this is an issue where they will want to consider a wide range of options. It means that a likely mass rebellion from Labour MPs will be averted – as happened the last time the SNP tabled an opposition day debate on Gaza in December.
The Scottish nationalists are furious at Hoyle’s decision to select the Labour amendment. They claim it is in breach of precedent whereby one opposition party cannot alter another’s motion. ‘This is the SNP’s opposition day,’ declared Owen Thompson. ‘What’s the point if it’s going to be done like this?’ He was met with a burst of applause from the SNP, with Pete Wishart subsequently tweeting that it is an ‘Absolutely ridiculous ruling from the Speaker.’
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