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In a pivotal decision on Wednesday November 15, the House of Commons voted against the King’s Speech amendment, proposed by the Scottish National Party (SNP), which called for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Sir Keir Starmer, Leader of the Labour Party, faced internal pressure after refusing to support a ceasefire in the Middle East. Over 65 Labor MPs, including 18 frontbenchers, defied Starmer’s position, which led to internal dissent. Nearly 50 councilors left the party, and more than 330 local leaders urged a change in stance. To maintain party unity, Sir Keir yielded to pressure and advocated for a parliamentary vote on a humanitarian truce in Gaza, distinct from a full ceasefire. This move intensified tensions within Parliament, especially following Conservative PM Rishi Sunak’s declaration of UK support for Israel on October 19.
SNP’s Push for Ceasefire and Vote Outcome
SNP leader Stephen Flynn spearheaded the effort for the King’s Speech amendment, which urges the UK government to align with international calls for an immediate ceasefire. Flynn criticized Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer, stating to the Evening Standard that they “cannot just sit on their hands while innocent men, women and children are being collectively punished.” Following a contentious day at Westminster, the House of Commons, holding a Conservative majority, rejected the call for a ceasefire. The SNP motion received 293 votes against and only 125 in favor, the majority being 168.
‘A Stain on British Politics’
Katy Chakrabortty, Oxfam’s head of policy and advocacy, criticized MPs’ failure to back a ceasefire as a “stain on British politics.” She expressed gratitude to MPs who voted with their consciences, emphasizing that nearly 80 percent of the UK public agrees with the need for a ceasefire. Maggie Tookey, a senior member of Edinburgh Direct Aid in association with Medical Aid for Palestine, stated she was “terribly disappointed” in the vote’s outcome. Further commenting that the lack of a ceasefire vote makes the UK complicit in the ongoing conflict. She affirmed the symbolic nature of the SNP motion and emphasized that, regardless of the vote’s outcome, the UK has limited leverage in the conflict.
‘Labour Resignations’
Despite Starmer’s instructions to abstain from the SNP’s push for the King’s Speech amendment and support his call for a humanitarian truce, 56 Labor MPs backed the SNP. Eight shadow ministers and two parliamentary private secretaries resigned over the matter. The most high-profile resignation was that of Jess Philips, who left her role as the Labour Party’s frontbench shadow minister of domestic abuse and safeguarding. In her resignation letter, Philips stated, “On this occasion, I must vote with my constituents, my head, and my heart which has felt as if it were breaking over the last four weeks with the horror of the situation in Israel and Palestine.”
The aftermath of the vote, coupled with internal dissent and symbolic gestures, has left a lasting impact on the UK political landscape, raising questions about the nation’s role in addressing conflicts in the Middle East.
