MPs set to debate Gaza ceasefire again as SNP take up Speaker’s offer after Commons chaos
MPs are set to hold another debate on a ceasefire in Gaza after the SNP said it would take up the Speaker’s offer following last week’s chaotic scenes in parliament.
It comes after Sir Lindsay Hoyle faced a backlash last week for breaching convention by allowing a vote on a Labour amendment to an SNP opposition motion calling for an immediate halt to the fighting.
His move was interpreted by critics as an “overtly political decision” designed to help Sir Keir Starmer fend off a rebellion from his own backbenchers, and there were angry scenes as both SNP and Conservative MPs stormed out of the Commons chamber in protest.
Sir Lindsay denied the claims and insisted the safety of MPs was the main reason for his move.
But he apologised twice and offered to grant an emergency debate on a fresh ceasefire motion in acknowledgement that MPs never got a chance to vote on the SNP’s amendment amid the chaos.
The party’s wording last week called for the release of all hostages held by Hamas, but also accused Israel of the war crime of “collective punishment” of the Palestinian people – which Labour’s amendment did not do.
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What happened in the House of Commons?
On Sunday the SNP’s Westminster leader Stephen Flynn confirmed he would take up the debate offer and table a motion this week that will press the Commons to back “concrete actions” to achieve an end to the fighting via pressure at the United Nations.
He said: “More than 29,000 Palestinian children, women and men have been killed, huge swathes of Gaza have been obliterated, and the population faces a worsening humanitarian crisis.
“The SNP will seek to refocus the discussion away from the Westminster circus and on to what really matters – doing everything we can to actually secure an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Israel.”
Mr Flynn added: “While the appalling spectacle at Westminster has been deeply unedifying, some progress has been made. Public and SNP pressure has forced the next prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer, into a U-turn – now we need to work together to force the UK government to change its position too.”
The SNP said it would publish details of its new motion following discussions with the Speaker on the terms of the debate.
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However, it is not clear what the format of the debate will be and if the SNP will be allowed to force a vote.
Sir Lindsay’s offer on Thursday came under the Standing Order 24 rule of the Commons – which grants an emergency debate for MPs to “consider” a topic – which may not be enough to satisfy the party.
More than 70 MPs have signed a no confidence motion in Sir Lindsay following last week’s scenes.
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Speaker sorry over ceasefire vote
Critics of the Speaker included Mr Flynn, who said last week that his position was “untenable” and said he “no longer retains the confidence of SNP MPs”.
Meanwhile a fresh debate on the issue could renew and heighten divisions within Labour over its stance on the war.
Labour’s amendment last week called for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire” but avoided accusing Israel of war crimes.
Israel has faced growing criticism of its actions in Gaza and there are fears over civilian causalities if it launches a ground offensive in the southern Gazan city of Rafah, where around 1.4 million Palestinians have sought refuge.
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Gaza: Moment crowds flee as gunfire heard
More than 29,000 Palestinians have died, according to the Hamas-run healthy ministry in the region, since Israel launched its latest military action in Gaza last year.
It came following Hamas’s attack on 7 October, in which around 1,200 people were killed, including more than 800 civilians, according to Israeli officials.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) last month called on Israel to do everything in its power to prevent acts of genocide in Gaza – but stopped short of ordering an end to its offensive.
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The Ministry of Defence is being urged to reveal details of a nuclear incident that took place at Faslane naval base earlier this year.
Figures show that a Category A event occurred at HMNB Clyde between 1 January and 22 April.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) defines Category A as the most serious – however, it has claimed the incident was categorised as of “low safety significance” and did not pose a risk to the public or result in any radiological impact to the environment.
HMNB Clyde is based on the banks of Gare Loch at Faslane in Argyll and Bute.
It is the Royal Navy’s headquarters in Scotland and is home to Britain’s nuclear submarines, which includes the Vanguard vessels armed with Trident missiles.
A Vanguard nuclear submarine at HM Naval Base Clyde. Pic: PA
Nuclear Site Event Reports (NSERs) detail incidents at nuclear facilities and are classified based on their safety significance and impact.
Responding to a written question earlier this year by SNP MP Dave Doogan, Maria Eagle, minister for defence procurement and industry, confirmed dozens of incidents at Faslane and nearby RNAD Coulport – the storage and loading facility for the Trident programme.
Nuclear site events (22 April 2024 to 22 April 2025):
• Coulport: 13 Category C and 34 Category D
• Faslane: 1 Category A, 5 Category B, 29 Category C, and 71 Category D
Ms Eagle said she could not provide specific details of the Category A or B incidents “as disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of any relevant forces”.
She assured Mr Doogan that “none of the events caused harm to the health of any member of staff or to any member of the public and none have resulted in any radiological impact to the environment”.
In a letter to Mr Doogan, UK Defence Secretary John Healey said: “I can confirm that all reported events were categorised as of low safety significance.
“In accordance with the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale (lNES) significant safety incidents are categorised at the lowest level – level one of seven.
“Incidents that might fall into this category include equipment failures, human error, procedural failings or near misses where no harm [was] caused to the health of any member of naval base staff, any member of the public, or any resultant radiological impact to the environment.”
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In the past week, concerns have been reignited over the environmental and public health impact of the UK’s nuclear weapons programme.
It comes following an investigation by The Guardian and The Ferret, which uncovered radioactive water from RNAD Coulport had leaked into Loch Long due to faulty old pipes back in 2019.
The secrecy battle went on for six years.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) reported the discharges were “of no regulatory concern”, while the MoD said there had been “no unsafe releases of radioactive material” into the environment.
In response to the “catalogue of failures”, the SNP’s deputy leader is calling for an “urgent explanation” from the UK government as to what actually happened at Faslane.
MSP Keith Brown said: “Nuclear weapons are an ever-present danger and this new information is deeply worrying.
“With repeated reports of serious incidents at Faslane and now confirmed radioactive contamination in Loch Long, it’s clear these weapons are not only poorly maintained but are a direct threat to our environment, our communities, and our safety.
“Worse still, the Labour government is refusing to provide any details about the Category A incident.”
The MoD said it was unable to disclose the details of the incidents reported for “national security reasons”, but stressed all were categorised as of “low safety significance”.
A spokesperson for the MoD said: “We place the upmost importance on handling radioactive substances safely and securely.
“Nuclear Site Event Reports demonstrate our robust safety culture and commitment to learn from experience.
“The incidents posed no risk to the public and did not result in any radiological impact to the environment. It is factually incorrect to suggest otherwise.
“Our government backs our nuclear deterrent as the ultimate guarantor of our national security.”
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