UK
Gaza ceasefire vote result: Parliament backs Labour motion – read full text and how chaos unfolded
MPs have approved a Labour motion backing an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire” in Israel and Gaza, with the party avoiding a widely expected rebellion after a tumultuous day in the Commons.
A planned vote in parliament on multiple motions about the conflict in Israel and Gaza descended into chaos, as the government withdrew from the debate and Scottish National Party and Tory MPs walked out in protest over the handling of the Commons vote.
It meant MPs only voted on Labour’s motion (read the full text below). Shadow minister Jon Ashworth wrote on X: “For all the Tory parliamentary games tonight the most important thing is Parliament has just endorsed Labour’s amendment for an immediate ceasefire, release of hostages, a surge in aid and recognition of a Palestinian state.”
The opposite day debate was secured by the SNP, widely seen to be seeking to exploit Labour divisions. But Speaker Lindsay Hoyle’s decision to allow a vote on Labour’s amendment before the SNP’s – against usual convention – prompted outrage from the SNP as it denied them the chance to vote on their own motion. The clerk of the Commons voiced their concern in a letter to Hoyle too.
The Conservative leader of the House Penny Morduant also condemned the Speaker, claiming he had “undermined the confidence of this House” and withdrawing the government’s motion. Labour shadow leader of the Commons Lucy Powell questioned whether the Tories had feared a backbench rebellion over their own motion, however.
Hoyle later apologised for how the vote “ended up”, but said he had wanted to give MPs the opportunity to express as wide a range of views as possible given strong feelings on the issue. Labour also faces questions about whether it pressured Hoyle.
The absence of a vote on the SNP motion means Labour leader Keir Starmer avoided a potentially significant rebellion from Labour MPs backing the SNP’s line, which shadow frontbenchers have criticised.
One Labour MP had told LabourList this morning they and colleagues planned to back both the Labour and SNP motions.
With critics calling Labour’s ceasefire call too caveated, the MP said voters “just want a ceasefire” and exact terms should not be for Labour to negotiate. They said they had received nearly as many constituent emails as the 2,500 they received in the last vote in November.
In November a number of Labour frontbenchers resigned to vote for an SNP amendment which called for a ceasefire and 56 Labour MPs backed it despite being whipped against.
The text of the final motion as amended by Labour and approved by the Commons is below:
That this House believes that an Israeli ground offensive in Rafah risks catastrophic humanitarian consequences and therefore must not take place; notes the intolerable loss of Palestinian life, the majority being women and children;
condemns the terrorism of Hamas who continue to hold hostages;
supports Australia, Canada and New Zealand’s calls for Hamas to release and return all hostages and for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, which means an immediate stop to the fighting and a ceasefire that lasts and is observed by all sides, noting that Israel cannot be expected to cease fighting if Hamas continues with violence and that Israelis have the right to the assurance that the horror of 7th October cannot happen again;
therefore supports diplomatic mediation efforts to achieve a lasting ceasefire; demands that rapid and unimpeded humanitarian relief is provided in Gaza;
demands an end to settlement expansion and violence; urges Israel to comply with the International Court of Justice’s provisional measures;
calls for the UN Security Council to be meet urgently;
and urges all international partners to work together to establish a diplomatic process to deliver the peace of a two-state solution, with a safe and secure Israel alongside a viable Palestinian state, including working with international partners to recognise a Palestinian state as a contribution to rather than outcome of that process, because statehood is the inalienable right of the Palestinian people and not in the gift of any neighbour.
Labour Amendment On Gaza Ceasefire Passes After Chaotic Day In Commons
Nadine Batchelor-Hunt
MPs have passed a Labour amendment calling for an "humanitarian ceasefire" in Gaza after a dramatic day in Westminster which saw SNP MPs walk out of the chamber.
The day began with House of Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle breaking with convention and selecting both Labour and the government’s amendment to the SNP’s opposition day motion for a ceasefire, which proved to be a divisive move.
In the ensuing chaos, leader of the House of Commons Penny Mordaunt announced that the government would no longer be participating in the vote despite having tabled an amendment of their own.
But as agitated MPs prepared to head to the voting lobbies, Hoyle was nowhere to be seen. Westminster SNP leader Stephen Flynn made a point of order three times to ask the deputy speaker Rosie Winterton where Hoyle was, and insisted the SNP's motion should be voted on before Labour's amendment. Earlier it was made clear that if Labour’s amendment passed, the SNP’s original motion would be amended before being voted on.
In his third point of order, Flynn eventually asked for the House of Commons to be suspended until Hoyle returned to the chamber – to furious shouts of support from MPs frustrated with Hoyle’s decision. When it became clear Flynn's requests would not be acted upon, the SNP appeared to walk out of the chamber in protest before later returning.
After multiple points of order from MPs from all parties, which saw Winterton struggle to control MPs as they shouted over each other, a vote was held on whether the house should sit in private – with access to the public and press galleries in the House of Commons closed and cameras switched off. MPs voted against sitting privately.
Hoyle subsequently returned to the chamber, and issued an apology for the way events had unfolded – saying the reasoning behind his decision was out of concern "about the security of members, their families and the people that are involved".
"It was my wish to do the best by every member of this House," he said.
Labour's amendment was set to be voted on first, then the government's, and then the SNPs original ceasefire motion – all of which come ahead of Israel's planned offensive in Rafah, the only part of Gaza still under Hamas control and where more than one million Gazans are seeking refuge from the fighting.
According to the Hamas-run health ministry, almost 30,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war, which began after Hamas killed more than 1,200 Israelis in a largescale terror attack on southern Israel on 7 October.
The key difference between Labour's amendment and the SNP's motion was Labour specifying any ceasefire as "humanitarian". Labour also does not mention “collective punishment” of the Palestinians, whereas the SNP motion does. The difference between Labour's amendment and the government's was clearer, with the government calling for a "humanitarian pause" with a view towards "a permanent sustainable ceasefire" in Gaza.
Had Hoyle stuck to convention – which dictates the government's amendment should take precedent – Labour's amendment may not have been chosen at all, forcing Labour MPs who still wanted to vote for a ceasefire to break their party whip, which was to abstain, and vote for the SNP's motion.
PoliticsHome understands one of the arguments made to Hoyle by Labour figures was concern about backlash from the public if its amendment wasn't included as an option for Labour MPs.
However, the Speaker's decision has triggered anger among some MPs – with senior Tory MP William Wragg to submitting an Early Day Motion expressing no confidence in the Speaker, and a senior Tory MP telling PoliticsHome they are considering supporting his motion.
Labour MP Ian Lavery expressed unhappiness that his name had been included on the order paper for Labour's amendment without his "consent".
Ahead of the vote, a Labour source told PoliticsHome multiple Tory MPs were considering rebelling and supporting a Labour amendment ahead of the vote.
Senior Tory MP Tobias Ellwood also told PoliticsHome ahead of the vote he did not need to vote to state his support for "a workable ceasefire", describing the days events as "painful".
Responding to parliament voting to support a ceasefire, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey MP said: “The Liberal Democrats have been calling for an immediate bilateral ceasefire for months now, in order to stop the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, get the hostages out and provide the space for a path towards a two-state solution.
“Today’s debate should have been about Parliament coming together with one voice on this horrific conflict. Instead it’s turned into an embarrassing row about the selection of amendments.
“A ceasefire is urgently needed so that there is time to facilitate the delivery of aid into Gaza, the opportunity to release the hostages, and provide space to intensify diplomacy so that Hamas is out of Gaza, a two state solution is agreed and a lasting peace.”
Ian Paisley (photo by Andrew Aitchison / In pictures via Getty Images)
Brett Campbell
DUP MP Ian Paisley has been criticised for his heated contribution to the Gaza ceasefire debate in Westminster, prompting a warning from the Deputy Speaker.
The House of Commons later descended into chaos as the Government and SNP condemned Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle for his handling of the debate.
Labour’s amendment pushing for an immediate Gaza ceasefire was approved by the Commons.
Earlier, SNP MPs and some Conservatives walked out of the chamber in an apparent protest at the state of affairs as the debate reached its conclusion.
Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt claimed Sir Lindsay had “hijacked” the debate and “undermined the confidence” of the House in its longstanding rules by selecting Labour’s bid to amend the SNP motion calling for an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza and Israel.
It had been expected that Sir Lindsay would select just the Government’s amendment seeking an “immediate humanitarian pause” to the Israel-Hamas conflict, which could pave the way for a more permanent stop in fighting.
But instead, he decided that the Commons would first vote on Labour’s calls for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire” before moving on to further votes on the SNP’s original motion, and then the Government’s proposals if either of the first two were to fail to garner enough support.
Conservative MP William Wragg, who called for Sir Lindsay to resign, later tried to make the House of Commons sit in private.
SNP MPs were understood to have headed to the voting lobby after the walkout from the chamber.
The debate sparked passions on all sides. DUP MP Mr Paisley recalled a recent meeting with Adi Efrat, who was kidnapped by Hamas on October 7 after her house was scorched to the ground.
The 51-year-old was taken from Kibbutz Be’eri where 120 neighbours — including men, women and children — were killed during the murderous rampage.
Mr Paisley branded the motion — which he said doesn’t contain a single word “about the rape of women and murder of children” — as “vile”.
“It’s as if, Mr Deputy Speaker, it didn’t happen,” he said.
“It’s as if it was invisible.
“It’s as if like other people in the 20th century who denied what happened.
“It is utterly vile.”
The North Antrim representative said the “awful” war in Gaza is a consequence of “the unjustifiable attack” on Israelis and Jews on October 7.
Mr Paisley insisted moral responsibility lies with Hamas as he warned Israel is already facing enemies on eight fronts.
“The SNP wants us to open up another front, that is the Parliamentary front, against Israel,” he said.
Following his remarks, SNP MP Steven Bonner appealed to the Deputy Speaker to intervene.
“I’ve just been called [an] antisemite by the honourable member from the north of Ireland,” the SNP member said.
“It’s an absolute disgrace that that is where he is bringing this debate today.”
The Deputy Speaker, who said he didn’t hear the comment, instructed MPs to use “temperate” language.
SDLP MP Claire Hanna, who previously worked for a relief and development agency, told the Commons she has never encountered a humanitarian crisis as “hellish” as what the people of Gaza are facing.
“Our constituents are watching in devastation and distress and feel powerless to the point of complicity,” she said.
While stressing that she stood in “full solidarity” with the Israeli victims of the Hamas attack, the South Belfast MP said the scenes coming from Gaza filled people with dread.
“I feel that way,” she continued.
“I look at my six-year-old sweet, smiling innocent daughter, and I see a six year old trapped in car for days with nobody listening to her cries and the bodies of all the people she loved — those scenes will never leave people.”
Ms Hanna objected to the “slurs and distortions” put on those who show empathy as she branded the October 7 massacre as “wicked” and “vile”.
She described Hamas as a “cynical organisation” and said she believes in Israel’s right to exist.
“Comparisons between the Middle East and NI are shallow,” she added.
“But the one [lesson] that can be learned is the first step is stopping the killing... if we don’t support a ceasefire now, when will we?”
Later, Sir Lindsay apologised to the Commons amid shouts of “resign” from some MPs.
Sir Lindsay told the Commons: “I thought I was doing the right thing and the best thing, and I regret it, and I apologise for how it’s ended up.
“I do take responsibility for my actions, and that’s why I want to meet with the key players who have been involved.”
Shouts of “resign” could be heard from both sides of the House.
Additional reporting by Press Association
The view of the ceasefire vote from a Birmingham mosque
Ever since the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October, interested parties have been watching not only the UK government's response to Israel and Gaza, but the opposition's stance too.
Serena Barker-Singh
Political correspondent @serenabarksing
Wednesday 21 February 2024 
It's a rainy day in Birmingham and, perhaps unsurprisingly, the vote tonight in the House of Commons over support for a ceasefire in Gaza is not the first thing on people's minds.
But make no mistake, this is a huge issue here for voters of all stripes - and particularly important to the Muslim community.
Politics live: Speaker sparks fury with amendment decision
Ever since the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October last year, interested parties have been watching not only the UK government's response to Israel and Gaza, but the opposition's stance too.
This is partly because the Muslim community is one of Labour's most loyal voter bases, which has almost exclusively stuck with the party in recent elections.
But potentially, no more.
I'm invited into the Green Lane mosque where there are several events going on in the expansive and beautifully preserved Victorian building.
There's a cancer support awareness event in the basement, and in one wing of the building, a coffee morning for women to gather and chat.
Mustafa Hussain, the imam here, says the issue has been coming up repeatedly at the mosque. They've even had fundraising events and collections for donations towards aid going to Gaza.
But he says there's only so much he can do, and he believes it is leaders who have the biggest responsibility.
Image:Birmingham city centre"What we're doing is to make our voices loud enough so they can make the right decisions," he told me.
"You saw how the streets were filled all over Europe, in London, you would think that with that amount of noise being made on a local level, or a community level, the decision to help save lives would have been made earlier?"
But while Imam Mustafa says he believes this should have come earlier, he will take Labour at its word.
"When I hear Labour is going to be calling for a humanitarian ceasefire, I mean, great," he said. "But I hope this is not just optics and will lead to actual change."
Labour has been reportedly worried about losing voters in their stronghold with a high Muslim population for some time.
A recent survey by Survation added to that fear when it indicated only 60% of British Muslims who voted Labour in the last election would back the party again.
The politically active organisations in Birmingham say that figure could even be an underestimate.
Azhar Qayum, chief executive of the Muslim Engagement and Development organisation, worries about the wording of the Labour amendment.
He said the addition of the word "humanitarian" in "immediate humanitarian ceasefire" allows for "further quibbles" and even some "wiggle room".
Mr Qayum added: "What does it even mean? It's too much politicising this, it should be simple. The fighting needs to stop."
So it seems this could be about a lack of trust for him and the delay from Labour to come to this position means he's unable to take Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer at his word.
He will be watching closely at which Labour MPs vote for what he says is a "simpler" SNP amendment, calling for an immediate ceasefire, and he says this will "undoubtedly" have an impact on the Labour vote from British Muslims.
'Do the right thing'
Back in the mosque, a community organiser named Sidrah tells me why she welcomes Labour's position today.
Calling for a ceasefire was important because of what she hopes for next: more aid into Gaza, more medics allowed inside and more equipment for hospitals.
"It has been a lot for the community to deal with," she said.
It's clear Labour has work to do to retain support among Muslim voters, but today at the Green Lane mosque, Imam Mustafa accepts this is a start.
"Lest we start assuming that decisions are being made for voters," he said. "I'd like to believe decisions are being made to save lives.
"At the end of the day I don't want you to win my vote, I want you to do the right thing and I think that's the message from our community. Do the right thing."
Tories and Labour unite to protect Israel in ceasefire vote
Tory Leader of the Commons Penny Mordaunt said the government would 'play no further part in today's proceedings'
Wednesday 21 February 2024
Anger at Israel—and its backers in the Labour leadership—outside parliament (Picture: Mandy Brown)
A cynical stitch-up—with the Tories trusting Keir Starmer to act in the role of a “national” leader—stopped MPs voting on Wednesday evening on an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
Amid chaotic scenes in the commons, the Tories and Labour combined to shield Israeli genocide. And, particularly in Labour’s case, they tried to slither away from a clear indication on whether its MPs backed a ceasefire or not.
Just before the crucial votes began, Tory Leader of the Commons Penny Mordaunt said the government would “play no further part in today’s proceedings”. Tory whips told their MPs to abstain on a Labour motion. This meant it passed—without a vote.
Therefore the Scottish National Party’s motion—which was supposed to be the subject of the debate—was not even put to a vote.
Just before the votes began, SNP and even some Tory MPs walked out of the Commons chamber in a protest over the way the speaker—the chair of the Commons—had handled the debate. The speaker then went missing.
All of these anti-democratic manoeuvres required trampling on parliament’s traditions (see below) something which British stuffy and conservative sham-democracy usually rejects. But they did it as their united service to imperialism.
The debate came as Israel had begun a countdown to slaughter in Rafah in the south of Gaza. It says its ground offensive against the area where over 1 million people are sheltering could begin 18 days from now. And it follows the International Court of Justice finding there is a plausible case that Israel is carrying out genocide.
But despite this, British MPs put their loyalty to imperialism and Zionism first and voted against an unconditional call for an immediate ceasefire. The SNP motion had called for a ceasefire without caveats and loopholes. The Labour alternative used words about a ceasefire but in practice did not push for one.
It supported “an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, which means an immediate stop to the fighting and a ceasefire that lasts”. That’s a shift to using the word ceasefire because of the pressure of the millions-strong movement in Britain and recent changes in the US’s language.
But Labour’s motion made any ceasefire conditional, “noting that Israel cannot be expected to cease fighting if Hamas continues with violence and that Israelis have the right to the assurance that the horror of 7th October cannot happen again.”
So it defended Israel’s right to murder Palestinians if Hamas does not surrender. For Starmer, Palestinians can live only if they cease to resist extermination, ethnic cleansing, apartheid and dispossession. For Labour to oppose their deaths, Palestinians must become compliant with Zionism.
Labour leadrs said they were particularly angry that the SNP motion called for “an end to the collective punishment of the Palestinian people”.
How else to describe Israel’s murder of at least 30,000 people, its policy of starving more than 2.2 million Gazans and driving three-quarters of them from their homes?
A few hours before the debate began, Andrew Gilmour, UN’s Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights from 2016-19 said Israel’s onslaught against Gaza is “probably the highest kill rate of any military killing since the Rwandan Genocide of 1994”.
And a British International Development Committee parliamentary delegation has just returned from a visit to report on Gaza’s conditions. Its chair said, “Nothing that has been reported braces you for the true scale of the horror in Gaza. We’re simply not getting accurate information about the levels of destruction and brutality.”
The SNP’s Anum Qaisar told MPs during the debate, “Gaza is under siege from the air” and mentioned the F-35 bomber and other weapons being made in British factories. She added these weapons may be “used by Israeli authorities in the massacre of families and children in Gaza”.
Shadow foreign secretary David Lammy accused the SNP motion of being “one-sided”, saying Israel cannot be expected to cease fighting if Hamas continues with violence.
Previously Lammy has rammed home his party’s cowardice, opportunism and desire to suck up to imperialism. He said Labour doesn’t “want to do anything in an election year, in which the Labour Party might have the privilege of serving, that cuts across our ability to do that.”
There was one sensible Tory contribution. Conservative MP Kit Malthouse said there can be no military victory over Hamas. That is widely accepted across the world and “whispered even in Israel,” he added.
Around 3,000 pro-Palestine supporters gathered in the rain outside parliament before the vote. Reshma from East London told Socialist Worker, “I’ve always supported Palestine, I am angry and upset when MPs have a chance to vote for a ceasefire and don’t try to protect Palestinian lives.”
Josie who works in the music industry said, “Britain has blood on its hands, I felt helpless to be able to do anything but joining the protests has been something I can do.
“My MP said she’d vote for a ceasefire in November but at the last minute didn’t. I’ve no faith she’ll vote for a ceasefire tonight
“Britain has spread war across the Middle East for decades. Britain needs to stop arming Israel and bring in sanctions like we did against Russia.”
After this shameful day in parliament, the movement needs to stay active and militant. Campaigners, for example, need to be on the streets this weekend. The fact that it’s the Palestine Solidarity Campaign’s (PSC) annual general meeting should not mean there isn’t a huge day of protest—particularly as the bloodbath in Rafah nears.
And the next scheduled national demo on 9 March is too far away. Let’s be on the streets, build for a militant workplace day of action on 8 March, encourage action such as this weeks’ student occupations—and try to find ways to make Britain ungovernable.
Speaker bends rules for Labour
Earlier in the day, the speaker—the chair of the House of Commons—overthrew normal procedure to help out Starmer.
Senior Labour figures told BBC’s Newsnight programme that they made clear to Commons speaker Sir Lyndsay Hoyle that they would remove him from his position after the general election unless he called their party’s Gaza amendment.
John Craig, Sky News’s chief political correspondent said it was Starmer and Labour chief whip Sir Alan Campbell who had applied the pressure.
In almost every previous case, when the opposition puts forward a motion—as the SNP did on Wednesday—no other opposition party is permitted to put forward an amendment.
That would have meant Labour MPs would have been forced to choose between the SNP motion or the government’s one. Starmer feared lots of his MP, might have felt forced to back the SNP one.
But Hoyle tore up the usual methods and allowed a vote on Labour’s amendment. This gave its MPs an excuse not to back the SNP one.
The Clerk of the House, Tom Goldsmith, who’s the chief adviser on matters of parliamentary procedure in the Commons, wrote a letter putting on record his belief that Hoyle’s decision was a “substantial breach” of procedures.
These weird rules might not seem to matter. But the episode underlines Starmer’s fears of rebellion.
Hands up for genocide from the United States
The United States has again vetoed a UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
The move on Tuesday was the fourth US veto of such a UN motion. It came a day after the US circulated a measure that would support only a temporary ceasefire—and linked to the release of all Israeli detainees captured by Palestinian resistance groups.
The vote on a ceasefire in the 15-member council was 13 to one. Britain abstained—an act almost as vicious as the US, but with a dash of added camouflage and cowardice. Britain is nervous about alienating Arab regimes that it relies on for juicy contracts. It has also feared in recent years to use a veto in case other countries, rightly, seek to dump Britain from the UNSC. Its last veto vote was in 1989.
Britain and the US are urging on the genocidal logic of the Israelis. Their sighs about the number of civilian deaths are hypocritical and empty.
Hamas said, “President Joe Biden and his administration bear direct responsibility for derailing the resolution for a ceasefire in Gaza.
“The US position is considered a green light for the occupation to commit more massacres and kill our innocent people through bombing and starvation.”
Labour’s amendment on Wednesday night backs a ceasefire—so long as the Palestinian resistance surrenders
A protest against Starmer in London last November (Picture: Guy Smallman)
By Charlie Kimber
Tuesday 20 February 2024
The Labour Party—rocked by mass protests, internal splits and the threat of electoral punishment—has changed its language about a ceasefire in Gaza. But it is still refusing to go against Israel’s genocidal assaults.
In advance of a parliamentary vote set for Wednesday, it put out a new line on Tuesday. Labour still won’t back the Scottish National Party’s motion for an immediate ceasefire. Instead, it tries desperately to move away from its overt support for the killing while sticking with the Israeli state.
Labour’s amendment backs “an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, which means an immediate stop to the fighting and a ceasefire that lasts. But it makes this conditional, “noting that Israel cannot be expected to cease fighting if Hamas continues with violence and that Israelis have the right to the assurance that the horror of 7th October cannot happen again.”
So there could be a ceasefire so long as the Palestinian resistance surrenders and there is no longer opposition to Zionism.
It admits “an Israeli ground offensive in Rafah risks catastrophic humanitarian consequences and therefore must not take place” but immediately “condemns the terrorism of Hamas who continue to hold hostages”.
As well as the pressure from the millions-strong movement for Palestine, another factor weighing on Keir Starmer will be a shift from president Joe Biden.
The resilience of the Palestinians, the scale of the global movement and the fears of wider revolt in the Middle East have shaken his administration. It is now using the word “ceasefire”.
The US has drafted a UN Security Council resolution that calls for a “temporary ceasefire” in Gaza “as soon as practical” and based on “all hostages being released”. It also warned against what it described as a “major” ground offensive in Rafah, “under the current circumstances”.
That’s not a pro-Palestine motion, but where the US leads loyal supporters of imperialism—such as the Labour Party—follow.
As Starmer is on the defensive, it’s time to increase the pressure. Let’s drive home the confusion and the fear on the other side.
Full coverage of the struggle in Palestine
The Palestine Solidarity Campaign said on Tuesday, “The Labour Party leadership has tabled an amendment seeking to water down the SNP motion calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
“This amendment seeks to dilute the clear call for an immediate ceasefire by handing the Israeli government a veto over whether or not a ceasefire should happen, at a time when Israel is on trial at the ICJ for the crime of genocide.
“Labour’s amendment amounts to asking for another pause—allowing Israel the option to continue with the slaughter unless its preconditions are met.
“Pointedly, the Labour amendment removes all reference to the collective punishment of Palestinians —a crime under international law.
“This is not an accident. While some shifting of the Labour position is testament to the hundreds of thousands who have campaigned for more than four months for an end to the killing of Palestinians by Israel, this amendment indicates that the Labour leadership is still trying to excuse Israeli war crimes and not willing to put pressure on Israel to end its atrocities.
“It is grotesque to play parliamentary word games with the lives of Palestinian people. All MPs should vote for the SNP motion clearly calling for an immediate ceasefire and against this and any other amendment that seeks to weaken this urgent demand.”
Pressure from the streets makes a difference—let’s have more of it.
