THE Labour Party are reportedly planning to support the SNP's motion calling for an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza.
It comes after Keir Starmer called for a “ceasefire that lasts” at the Scottish Labour conference in Glasgow but stopped short of using the word “immediate”.
The SNP previously put forward a similar motion in November, which exposed fissure within Labour as 56 of Starmer’s MPs backed the motion.
According to ITV’s Robert Peston, Labour are now planning on voting with the SNP - but there are still some concerns within the party.
Writing on Twitter/X, he said: “I am hearing that Labour is likely to support the SNP motion on Wednesday calling for an ‘immediate’ ceasefire in Gaza and condemning any ‘military assault’ on Rafah because the motion also demands ‘the immediate release of hostages’ – though there is unease among those close to Starmer about the phrase ‘the collective punishment of the Palestinian people’.
“I am told Starmer’s preference would be to amend the motion, but this may not be possible. The shadow cabinet will make the formal decision tomorrow morning but it looks as though Labour will confirm that the SNP’s position is too close to its own to make opposition to it credible.
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“If it happens, this feels like quite a significant shift, though one that goes with the grain of where Labour MPs and members have been moving.
“There will however be queasiness at the top of Labour if the SNP is seen to have been making the running on this.”
Potential rebellion
According to a report in The Guardian, Starmer risks triggering the biggest rebellion of his leadership should he stop his MPs from voting for an immediate ceasefire.
The newspaper also reports that party whips are yet to decide how to approach Wednesday’s vote, but several MPs have said they risk another internal row should they be told to oppose it.
“I suspect it will be far more than 56 who (rebelled) last time, especially given the Scottish Labour position and how many more MPs are really under pressure on this now,” one Labour MP told the newspaper."
Another added: “I hope we end up in a better position than last time – we need to not get into the same position as last time.”
Starmer told the Scottish Labour conference in Glasgow that the “fighting must stop now” in Gaza, warning Israel not to invade the southern city of Rafah, where 1.5 million people are taking refuge.
Anas Sarwar claims
All this comes after SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn said he had been left “deeply confused” by a comment on the vote from Anas Sarwar (below).
The Scottish Labour leader claimed Labour whips had been in contact with the SNP about its Gaza motion.
Owen Thompson, the SNP’s chief whip was among those to rubbish the claims while Flynn told journalists there had been no contact as of Monday morning.
“I’m deeply confused that Anas Sarwar took it upon himself to go on national television and to effectively lie and mislead the people of Scotland regarding Labour whips speaking to SNP whips,” he said.
“Maybe he’s been spun a line by UK Labour and he’s fallen for it, but it hasn’t happened.”
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