Speaker Lindsay Hoyle retracts offer to SNP of emergency Gaza ceasefire debate

Responding to a point of order in the House of Commons this afternoon, Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle appeared to retract an offer to the Scottish National Party to hold an emergency ceasefire debate.

The Speaker intimated that he would granted an emergency debate under Standing Order 24 [SO24] of the House’s rules last week.

It came after SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn told the House in a point of order: “Members across the chamber probably don’t need [to be] reminded of events last week when in an SNP opposition day, we brought forward a motion seeking to ensure that this House spoke with one voice [on the situation in Gaza]”.

Flynn quoted the speaker’s words from last week back at him: “I want to make sure we can have an SO24 to get an immediate debate because the debate is so important to the House”.

The speaker subsequently laid out his reasons why he had “decided the [SNP] application for an emergency debate should not proceed”.

80 MPs back no confidence motion in Speaker Hoyle after he rejects fresh Gaza debate