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SNP and Conservative MPs walk out of the Commons over the speaker’s handling of the Gaza voteSign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailPrime minister Rishi Sunak has branded Sir Lindsay Hoyle’s handling of the Gaza ceasefire vote “very concerning”, but said the Commons Speaker was “reflecting on what happened”.Mr Sunak warned that parliamentarians should never be intimidated by “extremists” after dozens of Conservative and SNP MPs signed a no-confidence motion in Sir Lindsay.The speaker has apologised to the SNP after the House of Commons descended into chaos. He broke with convention on Wednesday to allow a vote on Labour’s Gaza ceasefire amendment to an SNP motion calling for an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza and Israel. The amendment was later passed without vote.He said: “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 have a duty of care, and I say that, and if my mistake is looking after members I am guilty.”Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt blamed the Labour Party for the chaotic scenes.Show latest update 1708652700Anger as Northern Ireland excluded from Post Office lawNorthern Ireland’s justice minister says she is deeply disappointed that legislation to exonerate subpostmasters wronged in the Horizon scandal excludes the region.Naomi Long said she would urgently review options to provide an alternative remedy for subpostmasters in Northern Ireland.Details of blanket legislation to exonerate subpostmasters convicted in England and Wales was published on Thursday after Rishi Sunak earlier this year said they were victims of “one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in our nation’s history”.Last month, Post Office minister Kevin Hollinrake told MPs that while justice is a devolved issue in Northern Ireland, the Government wanted to see a consistent approach across the UK.However, Ms Long criticised the Westminster Government after it failed to include Northern Ireland in its legislation.Jane Dalton23 February 2024 01:451708648200Victims of Post Office Horizon scandal to have names cleared by new lawJane Dalton23 February 2024 00:301708643723Editorial: Now the war in Gaza is poisoning British politics Some of the arguments about Gaza – in parliament, online, in demonstrations – twist the motives and policies of opponents grotesquely: More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailSir Lindsay Hoyle has apologised twice to MPs following an extraordinary fallout over the Commons Gaza debate on Wednesday.Tory and SNP MPs stormed out of the chamber after Sir Lindsay broke with convention to allow a vote on Labour’s Gaza ceasefire amendment.The simmering row centres on his decision to select Labour’s bid to amend an SNP motion calling for an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza and Israel, which was later passed without a division.The SNP had opted to use one of its allocated opposition day debates to press for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all hostages held by Hamas and “an end to the collective punishment of the Palestinian people”.Labour responded by tabling an amendment to the motion in addition to the government’s. It was then Sir Lindsay’s decision to select the party’s amendment for a vote and debate that angered many MPs.The SNP were angry as they felt their opposition day had been hijacked by the speaker – but also because they had hoped to expose divisions over Gaza within the Labour Party.The chaos continued into Thursday, when Sir Keir Starmer was forced to deny he had threatened Sir Lindsay and SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn called for a vote of no confidence in the speaker.So what actually happened in the Commons on Wednesday? And why are the SNP and Tories so outraged?What’s next for Sir Lindsay and the amendment that was agreed?If you have a question, submit it now here, or when I join you live at 11am on Friday 23 January for the “Ask Me Anything” event.Register to submit your question in the comments box under this article. If you’re not already a member, click “sign up” in the comments section to leave your question. For a full guide on how to comment click here.Don’t worry if you can’t see your question – they may be hidden until I join the conversation to answer them. Then join us live on this page as I tackle as many questions as I can. More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster email The chaotic debate over a cease-fire in Gaza reverberated through Britain’s Parliament on Thursday as the speaker of the House of Commons faced calls to resign, and lawmakers said they feared for their safety amid pressure from all sides of the issue.After more than six hours of sometimes heated debate on Wednesday, both the governing Conservative Party and the Scottish National Party, or SNP, refused to participate in voting on the question. That left Labour, the largest opposition party, with the largely hollow victory of passing its version of a nonbinding motion calling for an “immediate humanitarian” cease-fire unopposed.Anger over the way the debate unfolded led to more than 50 lawmakers submitting letters of no confidence in Speaker Lindsay Hoyle on Thursday. Hoyle was meeting with the leaders of all three main parties to plot a way forward.Underlying the parliamentary tug-of-war are rising tensions over the Israel-Hamas war, with hundreds of thousands of people marching through London last Saturday in support of the Palestinian cause and figures showing that the number of antisemitic incidents in the United Kingdom jumped almost 150% last year.That is spilling over into Parliament, where the Gaza issue has been “weaponized” and some lawmakers believe they have to vote a particular way to ensure their own safety and the safety of their families, Conservative Charles Walker said during Wednesday’s debate.“This is a far bigger issue than the debate we’re having tonight, because if people are changing their votes in this place, or changing their behaviors in this place, because they are frightened what may happen to them or their families out there, then we have a real problem,” Walker said. “So this point scoring off each other is not going to resolve many issues.”Wednesday’s debate was triggered when the SNP put forward a motion calling for an immediate cease-fire that highlighted the devastation caused by Israel’s attacks on Gaza. The Labour Party offered an amendment that stressed Israel’s need to ensure it never again faces attacks like those that were carried out by Hamas on Oct. 7. The government countered with its own amendment restating its call for an “immediate humanitarian pause” in the fighting.In an effort to ease tensions in Parliament, Hoyle sought to allow separate votes on all three motions.But the speaker’s carefully constructed compromise collapsed when the government withdrew its motion, because Hoyle’s decision departed from House of Commons traditions under which he was expected to reject the Labour amendment. The SNP followed suit, saying lawmakers would no longer have an opportunity to vote on its proposal.Hoyle apologized Thursday and acknowledged that he made a mistake. But he said that he was trying to make sure that all lawmakers had the chance to make their positions clear in a climate of threat and intimidation. “I have a duty of care that I will carry out to protect people,″ he told the Commons. “It is the protection that led me to make a wrong decision, but what I do not apologize (for) is the risk that has been put on all members at the moment. I had serious meetings yesterday with the police on the issues and threats to politicians for us heading to an election.”Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt, who represents the government, blamed Labour for the chaotic scenes during Wednesday’s debate.“This House will never bow to extremists, threats, or intimidation,” she told the Commons on Thursday. “It has not, it will not, it must not.“And I would ask all honorable members not to do this House a further disservice by suggesting that the shameful events that took place yesterday were anything other than party politics on behalf of the Labour Party.”But the Institute for Government, an independent think tank focused on effective government in the U.K., criticized politicians on all sides of the issue for allowing a meaningful debate on Gaza to descend into “embarrassing chaos.”All of the parties are being disingenuous about their motives, with the government and SNP mostly upset, because they lost an opportunity to highlight the divisions within Labour over its Gaza policy, Hannah White, the institute’s director, wrote in an analysis published Thursday.Labour, trying to balance pressures from pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian supporters, only recently changed its policy to support calls for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza.“Political game-playing over parliamentary procedure is unedifying at the best of times, but for parliamentarians to behave in this way during a debate about a conflict in which tens of thousands are dying has undoubtedly brought Parliament into disrepute,” White said. More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailJacob Rees-Mogg has shared a bizarre rant against “liberals who drink skimmed milk”. Posting on Twitter, the former business, energy and industrial strategy minister insisted only full-fat milk will “nourish your inner Tory”.Mr Rees-Mogg tried six types of milk while interviewing a dairy farmer from Cheshire on his GB News programme State of the Nation.Jacob Rees-Mogg insisted only full-fat milk will “nourish your inner Tory”He berated plant-based milk alternatives such as oat, almond and cashew substitutes, calling them “ghastly”. He then said these plants “can’t be milk” and labelled almond milk as tasting like “porridge liquefied”.The ex-minister opened the segment highlighting how low-fat cheese and yoghurt had reached the supermarket shelves, adding: “For decades creamy milk – the real thing – was ostracised. “The health lobby went for yoghurt and cheese claiming the low-fat options were better for you. Unfortunately, the public began to obey, with lower fat options increasing in sales volume. But then things took a turn for the worse with even more ghastly things coming out like oat, almond, cashew and soya milk.”However, he added there was “good news” that “traditional milk is back on the rise”.He said: “Sales of whole milk [are] up two per cent in the past three months.”Labour MP Stella Creasy suggested the genuine TV clip looks as if it is a parody.She said: “We must tackle deepfake technology being used to create political content urgently, before they further undermine what confidence people have left in democracy.”Other social media users similarly expressed their disbelief, with one user writing: “Somebody tell me this is satire?!?” More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailWatch as Penny Mordaunt, leader of the House of Commons, takes business questions after accusing the Commons speaker last night of making a decision “that undermines the confidence of this House”.A government minister has also refused to back Sir Lindsay Hoyle following an evening of parliamentary chaos over a vote on Gaza on Wednesday 21 February.Maria Caulfield said she would “struggle to support” him after he upended parliamentary convention by selecting Labour’s bid to amend an SNP motion calling for an immediate ceasefire.The health minister urged Sir Lindsay to “come clean” about what discussions were had before the vote amid Tory and SNP suggestions that the opposition sought to influence his decision.Sir Lindsay issued an apology after a day of acrimony that saw MPs pass Labour’s amendment to the opposition day motion as Conservative and SNP politicians walked out of the debate in protest.Last night, Ms Mordaunt, accused him of having “undermined the confidence” of the Commons in an attack over the proceedings on Wednesday. More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailPressure is mounting for Sir Lindsay Hoyle to resign, after a motion of no confidence in the speaker was signed by more than 50 MPs.On Wednesday, MPs walked out of the chamber in protest at his handling of the Gaza ceasefire debate.The speaker later apologised to the House of Commons and vowed to hold talks with senior party figures amid calls to “resign”.He said: “I thought I was doing the right thing and the best thing, and I regret it, and I apologise for how it’s ended up.”He added he wanted to allow all sides to “express their views” and that he was “very, very concerned about the security” of MPs who have received personal threats over their stance on the Gaza conflict.We want to know what you make of last night’s chaos in the Commons. Should Sir Lindsay resign following the Gaza ceasefire debate? Or is it all much ado about nothing?If you want to share your opinion then add it in the comments and we’ll highlight the most insightful ones as they come in.All you have to do is sign up and register your details – then you can then take part in the discussion. You can also sign up by clicking ‘log in’ on the top right-hand corner of the screen.Make sure you adhere to our community guidelines, which can be found here. For a full guide on how to comment click here.Join the conversation with other Independent readers below. More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailCommons speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle has found himself at the centre of a political storm this week following his controversial and unprecedented decision to allow MPs to vote on a Labour amendment to the SNP’s Gaza ceasefire motion.Hoyle claims he made his decision to allow the “widest possible range of options” to be considered. In an unlikely union, many SNP and Conservative MPs have called for his resignation, lodging accusations of bias towards his former party.Here’s everything you need to know about the Commons speaker, his life and political career:Commons Speaker – 2019-PresentHoyle become Speaker of the House of Commons in November 2019, beating rival Labour MP Chris Bryant with 60 per cent of the final vote. In his acceptance speech, he said he would be a “transparent” speaker, telling MPs that “this House will change, but it will change for the better”.Until recent events, Hoyle has remained a largely uncontroversial speaker. His predecessor John Bercow had been accused of bullying during his time in the role, with an independent panel upholding many of the allegations against him.Hoyle has made clear his aim of distinguishing himself from predecessor: “I’ve come into this job as a referee”, he said after his election. “It shouldn’t be about me, it’s about the Chamber”.Hoyle’s reputation as impartial has not regularly come into question before now. In 2019, his support from both sides of the chamber was seen as a sign of trust in his commitment to non-partisanship in the crucial speaker role.MP for Chorley – 1997-2019Hoyle served as MP for Chorley, a seat in the northern county of Lancashire, for nearly 22 years. At the time of his election, he was the first Labour MP for the consitency in 18 years.Hoyle served on the backbench for the entirety of his time as an MP. He has previously discussed his tensions with former Labour prime minister Tony Blair over issues such as tuition fees and Gibraltar: “I’m not anti-Tony; he made us electable and won three times. But there are principles and promises you don’t break,”In 2010, Hoyle became deputy commons speaker, with many considering him a rising star in the role. In 2013, he won acclaim for shutting down jeering MPs during a budget debate.Later, in 2017, he scolded SNP MPs for singing the European National Anthem in Commons – culminating in a heated clash with then-Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond.In 2018, Hoyle was appointed a Knight Bachelor in the New Year Honours for political and parliamentary servicesLife and education before parliamentBefore becoming an MP, Hoyle was a Labour councillor in the Chorley Borough for the ward of Adlington. He remained in this position from 1980 until his election as an MP in 1997, serving for 27 years and being re-elected four times.Hoyle was born and raised in Adlington, Lancashire. He attended primary school in the area and college in the nearby town of Bolton. Before his election as an MP, Hoyle ran his own textile and screen printing business. More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailRishi Sunak is heading to North Wales on Thursday where he said his Government was “breathing new life into communities” through levelling up, as it was announced that one million UK properties had been connected to high-speed broadband.The Prime Minister will meet engineers in Anglesey working to roll out faster internet, as well as businesses and communities during his two-day tour of the region.New data shows 1,006,800 homes, businesses and public buildings can now access gigabit broadband under the £5 billion Project Gigabit, according to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).Upgrading one million premises with high-speed gigabit broadband is part of our long-term plan to deliver a brighter future by connecting people, businesses and regions across the entire United KingdomPrime Minister Rishi SunakThe programme to improve digital inclusion in hard-to-reach parts of the UK began in 2012.Most of the now-upgraded premises are in rural areas that have been too difficult or expensive for broadband suppliers to include in their commercial rollout.The department said around 80% of the UK was now covered by speedy broadband and 85% coverage would be reached by 2025.But the 2019 Tory manifesto said “we intend to bring full-fibre and gigabit-capable broadband to every home and business across the UK” by that date.Growth in coverage in Wales over the past year has been among the fastest in the UK, the Government said, with nearly 70% of Welsh premises accessing a gigabit-capable connection.We’re breathing new life into communities across North Wales through greater connectivity, a brand new freeport, more cash for high streets and a £1 billion investment into North Wales railPrime Minister Rishi SunakMr Sunak said: “Levelling up is about providing people with better opportunities to work, travel and feel proud of where they live.“Upgrading one million premises with high-speed gigabit broadband is part of our long-term plan to deliver a brighter future by connecting people, businesses and regions across the entire United Kingdom.“We’re breathing new life into communities across North Wales through greater connectivity, a brand new freeport, more cash for high streets and a £1 billion investment into North Wales rail.”The Prime Minister visited the new Anglesey freeport last year, which he said would attract over a billion in investment and create thousands of jobs.The electrification of the North Wales Main Line is being funded with £1 billion, while £20 million from the latest round of the levelling up fund will go towards regenerating town centres and developing areas in Denbighshire in north-east Wales.Mr Sunak’s visit to the region is part of what Downing Street has dubbed a “levelling-up tour” as he seeks to underscore his commitment to the flagship policy to reduce regional inequalities – a key plank of the Tory party’s 2019 winning election campaign.It comes after two influential think tanks last autumn questioned his Government’s efforts to reduce disparities across the country.The Institute for Government said the machinery of central Government was not set up to deliver the promise of levelling up, while the Resolution Foundation said there was a lack of “seriousness” about the scale of the challenge.As he gears up for the general election and his party languishes in the polls, Mr Sunak frequently attacks the performance of what he calls “Labour-run Wales”.On Wednesday, he warned that the Welsh Government’s new farm subsidy scheme would “decimate farming communities” there.Labour has long led the devolved government in the nation of three million people.Labour’s shadow Welsh secretary Jo Stevens said: “Rishi Sunak will arrive in Anglesey to find that 14 years of Conservative government has delivered one of the worst coverage levels for gigabit internet, and speeds almost half the UK average.“Wales continues to be an afterthought for the Conservatives. Only Labour will govern in the interest of the whole United Kingdom.” More