Humza Yousaf brands Lindsay Hoyle's position 'untenable'

It comes after SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn called for a vote of no confidence in Hoyle as a result of his handling of the Gaza vote.

Hoyle is fighting for his job after being forced to apologise for breaking with “long-established convention” to allow a debate on a Labour amendment to an SNP opposition day motion. More than 50 members have signed a motion of no confidence in him.

Speaking to journalists following FMQs on Thursday, Yousaf was asked if the Speaker should go.

READ MORE: Keir Starmer breaks silence amid Speaker threat claims

He replied: “As Stephen (Flynn) my colleague has said, he has serious questions to answer. His position looks to me to be untenable."

The SNP leader said his party had been consistent in its approach to the Israel-Hamas war and he continues to have family in Gaza who are “suffering”.

He told journalists: “I don’t think it’s unreasonable for an opposition party on opposition day to want to have their motion debated, discussed and voted on.

“We know the Speaker looks like he has bent the rules and he has serious questions to answer. That’s why Stephen Flynn is absolutely right in saying that his position doesn’t seem tenable.”

He said nearly 30,000 people had died in Gaza and the international community should “exert every ounce of pressure they can” for an immediate ceasefire.

“What we saw was frankly disgraceful, chaotic scenes in the House of Commons. And I think the true tragedy of that is that it takes away from what is the most important issue and that is the fact that we have an absolute humanitarian catastrophe that has unfolded and is deepening in Gaza.”

Scottish Conservative leader and MP Douglas Ross has said the trust in Hoyle has been “eroded” following the vote on a Gaza ceasefire.

Ross said the Speaker had “an awful lot of work to do” to rebuild the confidence of MPs, adding: “I am going to reflect on the discussions that the Speaker has with party leaders and with chief whips.

“But I don’t think anyone should understate the seriousness of the situation and the trust that has been eroded from someone who I like and respect and have worked well with, the Speaker of the House.

“You can only remain in that position if you have the confidence of the whole House, and I believe, as many others do, that there is an awful lot of work to do to build that confidence.”

Ross said he thought the scenes in Westminster “did not reflect well on any of the parties involved” - “But I think crucially, the Speaker accepted the mistake he made – and it was a mistake.”

READ MORE: MPs sign no confidence motion in Speaker - see the full list

It comes after the Speaker apologised again to SNP members.

Responding to Flynn, who said he had no confidence in the Speaker, Hoyle told the Commons: “I will reiterate I made a judgement call that didn’t end up in the position where I expected it to.

“I regret it. I apologise to the SNP… I apologise and I apologise to the House. I made a mistake. We do make mistakes. I own up to mine.

“I would say that we can have an SO24 (Standing Order 24) to get an immediate debate because the debate is so important to this House."

Both Tory and SNP MPs were left furious at the decision, with senior minister Penny Mordaunt giving a special statement in which she claimed Hoyle had “undermined” the House of Commons and said the Government would be boycotting the vote on a Gaza ceasefire as a result.

Labour’s amendment then passed without opposition, with the Speaker confirming he is to hold talks with party leaders to explain his decision.

Keir Starmer has said that he “simply urged” Hoyle to have “the broadest possible debate” by putting a number of options in front of MPs during the Gaza ceasefire debate.