THE SNP have rejected suggestions from a LibDem MP that his party “reached out” ahead of a previous motion on a ceasefire in Gaza.
It comes as MPs prepare to vote on a new motion, also tabled by the SNP, calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East.
Writing on Twitter/X, MP for Orkney and Shetland Alistair Carmichael said: “Ahead of the previous debate on Gaza, my party reached out to the SNP and asked if they would be prepared to include a reference in the motion on the need for a political process and a two-state solution.
“The answer came back – no, this is our motion and you can support it or oppose it as you wish. As an exercise in consensus-building it left a lot to be desired.”
However, Carmichael was called out for this post by the SNP’s chief whip Owen Thompson, who rejected the suggestion.
“Please tell me who you reached out to. As SNP chief whip, no request was made to me,” he said on Twitter/X.
READ MORE: Pro-ceasefire activists react to Labour U-turn on Palestine
In a separate post, LibDem MP for North East Fife Wendy Chamberlain replied: “We did reach out last year, and the answer was ‘no’.
“We reached out this time, had a meeting, but no change. Both times we asked for a two state solution to be includes as the best means for a lasting peace.”
Thompson again replied and said: “Thanks @wendychambLD but I asked who was contacted as there was no contact with me as chief whip.”
The last vote on a ceasefire was held in November, when 56 MPs rebelled against Keir Starmer after they were ordered to abstain.
It’s been reported that the Labour leader is again ordering his MPs to abstain on the SNP’s latest Gaza ceasefire motion because it accuses Israel of engaging in the “collective punishment” of the Palestinian people.
Also among those to respond to Carmichael's post was Scottish Labour MP Ian Murray, who said: "My experience too. When govt has a majority of 60 & you don't want to work with others to try to win the vote, then it's clear the purpose of the motion is not to win it.
"Submitting a motion to deliberately fail while telling the public it'll pass is deplorable esp given subject."
Meanwhile, SNP MP for East Dunbartonshire Amy Callaghan was also among those to call out Carmichael for his suggestion the LibDems had reached out.
In a post on Twitter/X, she said: “This is untrue. The LibDem’s didn’t approach us for negotiations over our ceasefire motion.
“This is much bigger than playing politics, the LibDem’s would do well to respect that.”
Elsewhere, Pete Wishart commented: "Imagine the LibDems making things up. Never saw that coming..."
It comes after Stephen Flynn said he had been left "deeply confused" by Anas Sarwar's claim that Labour whips had been in contact with the SNP about their latest Gaza motion.
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