Commons Speaker apologises over handling of Gaza ceasefire vote

Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle has apologised to MPs after the chamber descended into chaos around a motion calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, reported from Sky News.

Wednesday was designated as an opposition day for the SNP, which chose to debate the Israel-Hamas war - and sought to persuade MPs to back its calls for an immediate halt to the fighting.

But a controversial decision from Sir Lindsay to allow a Labour amendment to be put to the House led to an uproar from Tory MPs - and eventually saw the government pledging to "play no further part" in proceedings, as well as the SNP not even getting to vote on its original proposal.

After Conservative and SNP politicians stormed out of the chamber in protest, Sir Lindsay returned to the Commons to face his critics, apologising for "how it all ended up" and saying he took "responsibility" for his actions.

SNP leader Stephen Flynn said he would "take significant convincing" that the Speaker's position was "not now intolerable.".

And 33 MPs from both his party and the Tories have now signed a no-confidence motion in Sir Lindsay - not enough to oust him yet, but a motion that could gain traction in the coming days.

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