Westminster is failing the people of gaza by blocking a meaningful ceasefire vote — scottish national party

Depsite the circus of Westminster last week, where the SNP’s motion for a ceasefire in Gaza descended into chaos because of a sitch-up between the Labour Party and the Speaker of the House

of Commons, Westminster has once again found a way to sink lower. In an effort to secure tangible measures from last week’s ceasefire vote, SNP MPs submitted an emergency motion that would

instruct the UK Government to vote for an immediate ceasefire, or wording with that effect, during the next relevant motion brought before the United Nations Security Council. The Speaker

has once again blocked the SNP’s efforts. SNP MP’s fresh motion for an emergency debate would have seen MPs once again vote on an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Israel, demand the release

of all hostages taken by Hamas, and mandate the UK government to take concrete steps to help make a ceasefire happen, including using its position on the UN security council to push for, and

vote for, an immediate ceasefire, and immediately halting the transfers of military equipment and technology, including components, to Israel, and to suspend the issuing of new licences –

in line with UN calls for an arms embargo. For months, the UK parliament has blocked SNP calls for an immediate ceasefire – and now it’s blocking a vote on the concrete actions the UK

government must pursue to make an immediate ceasefire more likely. Last Thursday, the Speaker made an apology, and public commitment in the Commons that the SNP could have an SO24 emergency

debate, after the SNP opposition day was wrecked, following a decision by the Speaker to break the rules of the House of Commons after a private meeting with Keir Starmer. Ahead of making

the application for an emergency debate, the SNP wrote to all party leaders offering a meeting to discuss the contents of the SNP motion. Keir Starmer was the only opposition leader who

didn’t respond. Nonetheless, the SNP included language from the Labour Party’s amendment to maximise consensus. Yet again, Westminster is failing the people of Gaza by blocking a vote on the

urgent action the UK government must take to help make an immediate ceasefire happen. > This is @theSNP motion Westminster has blocked. >  > It mandated the UK government to take 

concrete action to secure an > immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Israel. >  > The SNP will continue to press Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer to > support action to achieve an 

immediate ceasefire #Gaza > pic.twitter.com/qa0jbFJh3i >  > — Tom French (@tomfrench85) February 26, 2024 The UK is a key ally and defence trading partner of Israel and the United

States, and a permanent member of the UN security council. It is not a powerless spectator – and Parliament has a moral duty to ensure the UK government is doing everything it can. Around

30,000 Palestinian children, women and men have been killed while Westminster has dithered and delayed – and huge swathes of Gaza have been obliterated. The UK’s strategy of equivocation has

failed. If the debate in Westminster is to be anything other than meaningless, it’s essential that warm words on an immediate ceasefire are backed up with concrete action – specific,

practical tangible measures. I urge Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer to work with us to ensure Parliament can mandate the UK government to pull every lever to help secure an immediate ceasefire,

and lasting peace through a two state solution. Finally, it’s regrettable that this inexplicable decision will further erode trust in the Speaker. The Speaker broke the rules last week –

and this week he has broken his word. How can MPs have any trust in the Speaker when he makes a public commitment one minute, only to rip it up the next. If 30,000 dead Palestinians aren’t

worthy of an emergency debate – what is?” FULL WORDING OF THE SNP’S EMERGENCY MOTION That this House officially reaffirms its position, as of 21st February 2024, to support an immediate

ceasefire in Gaza and Israel; further reaffirms its horror at the October 7th 2023 terrorist attacks by Hamas and the subsequent collective punishment of the Palestinian people in Gaza;

demands the release of all hostages taken by Hamas; condemns any military assault on the 1.5 million refugees sheltering in Rafah; further demands the Government immediately halts all

transfers of military equipment and technology, including components, to Israel, and to suspend the issuing of new licences; calls on the international community to ensure the rapid and

unimpeded humanitarian relief is provided in Gaza; further calls for an end to settlement expansion and violence; urges Israel to comply with the International Court of Justice’s provisional

measures; and urges all international partners to work together to establish a diplomatic process to deliver the peace of a two-state solution; recognises that statehood is the inalienable

right of the Palestinian people and not in the gift of any neighbour; instructs the Government to vote for an immediate ceasefire, or wording with that effect, during the next relevant

motion brought before the United Nations Security Council.