“Freedom of Expression” is a sacrosanct of MP’s, as is well known.
by Victor Cherubim
The House of Commons, was in an unusual shambles last afternoon (21 February 2022) after the Scottish National Party (SNP) brought in an Early Day Motion demanding discussion and vote on “a complete and immediate ceasefire” in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
This was pitted against two other motions, one from the Opposition Labour and another from the Government, each highlighting different perspectives of the War in Gaza.
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| The House of Commons |
The precedence of these motions was overruled by the Speaker of the House, Sir Lindsay Hoyle. MP’s of both sides of the House, walked out in protest.
The Labour amendment on the SNP motion was then approved and “ruled through without division” causing this rumpus.
What followed?
In short, what followed was the anger in the Chamber. The Speaker had was accused by the SNP. They had canvassed, convinced 44 members of all shades of opinion in the Government and the Opposition benches, to call for an early No-Confidence Motion (NCM) on the impartiality of the Speaker.
This has since outgrown to an angry protest of 59 MP’s demanding the resignation of the Speaker of the Commons, for not being impartial, by his ruling.
“Freedom of Expression” is a sacrosanct of MP’s, as is well known.
The Speaker, according his viewpoint, perhaps had an impending threat of disruption, leading up to unforeseen action. The Speaker had wanted to maintain decorum in the House. He may had “intelligence” that the issue may cause to create violence erupting in the benches of the House, if he allowed the vote to go ahead. But, unfortunately, it was overtaken by the drama, a comedy of events which followed,
This unmanaged protest grew out of all proportion, including the Leader of the Opposition, Labour party, Sir Kier Stammer, having some influence on the Speaker, for his decision. Sir Kier Stammer has since denied he had any reason to threaten the Speaker, of impartiality in the anyway.
After the walk out there was “a chaotic debate” whether the Commons should sit “in private” with MP’s voting overwhelmingly opposing same by a margin of 192 votes. This situation remained extremely unedifying, with the entire SNP members some and Conservative MP’s walking out of the Chamber in protest.
The Government spokesman, who happens to be the Leader of the Commons, Rt.Hon. Penny Mordaunt, then declared, it had withdrawn its motion. With it the drama in the yesterday’s Commons ended.
Public outcry
The views of Parliament on the continuing of the war in Gaza has abated. It seems, a theatrical comedy. It was a form of being “politically correct”. It was a way of assuring and assuaging the Jewish vote as well as a shambolic appeal for “sympathetic appeal” for the downtrodden Palestinians.
But, the ongoing public outcry against any escalation against ordinary Palestinians is very much in front of the minds of ordinary citizens of all colours, shades and viewpoints. It is well known both in the UK and of course, the wider world, there is little tolerance for war continuing without end in Gaza.
The public is also concerned of the various acts of the drama that may escalate both in Parliament and in the public domain, both in UK and abroad,
As and until a General Election is called in the UK which is expected to be months away, the shenanigans in the Commons is expected to continue.
As and until both Israel and Gaza, accept they both belong to the so called “human race,” nothing will be resolved.
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