The speaker refused to allow the SNP a second debate on the humanitarian ceasefire as the party demanded an investigation into the chaos surrounding last week’s ceasefire vote in Gaza.
Sir Lindsay Hoyle said the government will not allow a requested urgent debate on Gaza because it will deliver a “relevant statement” tomorrow.
The SNP walked out in anger last week after Sir Lindsay chose an amendment calling for a humanitarian ceasefire in Labor’s opposition debate.
The speaker’s refusal to allow another debate on the issue is likely to raise the ire of the SNP, who formed part of 70 MPs who signed a so-called early day motion introduced by a Tory MP who declared he did not trust the speaker.
Shadow digital minister Sir Chris Bryant said he was encouraged by Labor figures to halt parliamentary hearings last Wednesday ahead of a vote on the SNP motion calling for a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict.
The interruption was intended to give Labor leader Sir Keir Starmer time to persuade Sir Lindsay to allow MPs to vote on an amendment to Labour’s SNP motion.
The SNP accused Labor of using “every dirty trick in the Westminster book” to ruin the vote.
Under Commons precedent, the Labor amendment would not normally be put to a vote as the so-called Opposition Day debate would be led by the SNP.
Sir Lindsay said he ultimately allowed Labour’s amendment so that MPs, who were under intense pressure from voters due to the conflict, could vote without fearing for their safety.
But SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn accused him of using the SNP opposition day debate to favor his former party, Labour.
He also called for Sir Lindsay to be sacked and said the SNP no longer trusted the House of Commons speaker.
Sir Keir denied that Labor had threatened to sack Sir Lindsay as chairman after the general election in order to get the amendment passed.
But on Monday the SNP demanded a “full and independent investigation” into why Labor was able to “deliberately subvert” the SNP motion calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
It came after Sir Chris was asked whether Sir Keir had “put up” or “taken it upon himself” to provoke a debate in parliament during his meeting with the speaker.
“It’s a little bit of both, to be honest,” he told Channel 4.
Sir Chris added: “I think the whole day is dirty and we need a system that doesn’t allow people to change the rules to get what they want.”
And then, when it was pointed out to him that he had done exactly what he complained about, Sir Chris laughed in agreement.
The SNP said it came after a series of “damning” revelations at the weekend; these included allegations that Sir Keir used the time he had bought with Labor thuggery to “get in his way” uninvited into a meeting with the speaker shortly before Sir Lindsay allowed the party to vote. change.
Kirsty Blackman, the party’s Cabinet Office spokeswoman, said: “These damning revelations show Sir Keir Starmer is pulling every dirty trick in the Westminster book to ruin the SNP vote for immediate ceasefires in Gaza and Israel.
“After months of opposing an immediate ceasefire and even defending Israel’s right to deny water and electricity to Gaza, it is a shame that Starmer is trying to derail this important debate; It is a shame that his party lied, bullied the speaker and tried to water down the motion. Removal of all references to collective punishment of people in Gaza.
“Starmer’s party was caught red-handed after Chris Bryant’s confession. “There must now be a full and independent investigation into the appalling behavior of Keir Starmer and his colleagues, who are no better than the Tories at manipulating the broken Westminster system.”
Since last Wednesday’s events, Sir Lindsay has come under pressure over accusations that Labor helped Sir Keir avoid another damaging rebellion over the Middle East issue by opting for the amendment.
The House of Commons speaker broke convention to allow an amendment to Sir Keir Starmer’s SNP motion calling for an end to the bloody conflict.
Sir Keir had been warned that he would face the biggest rebellion of his leadership if MPs were not offered a vote on Labour’s amendment.
Under significant pressure from voters and amid frustration with Labour’s approach to the conflict in Gaza, dozens of Sir Keir’s MPs were prepared to rebel against the leader and support SNP calls for a ceasefire.
But in what his chief adviser called a “departure from long-established convention”, Sir Lindsay allowed MPs to vote on three motions tabled by the SNP, Labor and Rishi Sunak’s government addressing the conflict.
While Labour’s motion was eventually accepted without a vote, the government’s amendment and the SNP’s original text were not voted on.