‘Bring back Bercow!’: Speaker faces Conservative and SNP anger over Gaza debate decision

A row has erupted after the speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, broke with precedent to allow MPs to vote on a Labour motion on the Israel-Hamas conflict.

The amendment from Keir Starmer would see his party call for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire”, defusing a potential rebellion that would have likely transpired if MPs had faced a straight choice between the SNP motion and government amendment.

Justifying his decision, speaker Hoyle told MPs: “I should tell the House that in my opinion, the operation of standing order number 31, which comes the way amendments to the opposition day motions are dealt with, reflects an outdated approach”.

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