UK: Calls for House of Commons Speaker to Resign After Gaza Vote

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Facts

• Over 50 Conservative and Scottish National Party (SNP) members of parliament have supported a no-confidence Early Day Motion (EDM) concerning UK House of Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle submitted on Thursday.¹
• The motion of no confidence follows Hoyle's decision to break with parliamentary convention, introducing a Labour Party amendment in addition to a government amendment concerning the Scottish National Party's (SNP) 'Opposition day' motion calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.²
• Hoyle, a former Labour lawmaker, claimed a need to 'consider the widest possible range of options' on a 'highly sensitive subject,' and that Labour's amendment had to be considered first as Standing Order No. 31 ordered no amendment would be introduced after a government amendment.²
• Deputy Speaker Rosie Winterton confirmed that, following the Government's decision to 'play no further part' in voting and withdraw their amendment, if the then-de facto Labour majority passed their party amendment, there wouldn't be a vote on SNP's immediate ceasefire motion.²
• Earlier, Tom Goldsmith, Clerk of the House of Commons, had written to the Speaker to 'place on the record [his] view' that a decision would contradict 'long-established conventions,' and it was consequently 'possible' the chamber 'w[ould] not be able to vote on the SNP motion.'³
• The Labour Party's amendment also called for an immediate ceasefire, however, the legislation removed an SNP call for the end of the alleged 'collective punishment of the Palestinian people.' Hoyle later apologized for his decision-making concerning the vote.⁴

Sources: ¹edm.parliament.uk, ²hansard.parliament.uk, ³depositedpapers.parliament.uk and ⁴BBC News.

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by The Telegraph. Labour's behavior in the Commons can only be described as disgraceful. Hoyle's veil of impartiality has been destroyed, and Labour has been exposed as willing to manipulate parliamentary procedure and disregard the democratic values of Opposition day for their own benefit. Hoyle must go, and Labour should be ashamed.
• Narrative B, as provided by Guardian. Hoyle acted out of genuine concern for the safety and security of Labour lawmakers who have faced countless threats over their stances on the conflict in Gaza. In contrast, the Conservative Party sought to plunge the House into procedural chaos instead of allowing discussions over the horrors of the Middle East to receive due focus. While Starmer has, somehow, escaped the SNP's motion without a public party divide, nobody should be proud of what happened in Parliament.
• Narrative C, as provided by wingsoverscotland.com. While the SNP's motion on an immediate ceasefire had nothing more than symbolic consequences and was largely fuelled by selfish intentions to undermine Labour's political position, the extent of the contempt that the voice of Scotland was treated by Hoyle and the Commons is unacceptable. As long as London squabbles over theatrics and Hoyle remains Speaker, the people of Scotland alongside the people of Gaza will continue to be disrespected.