On February 21, dozens of members of the British Parliament departed from the House of Commons following the presentation of a declaration by Scottish nationalists urging a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
Both Conservatives and Liberals proposed amendments to the document. Traditionally, opposition parties refrain from amending each other's proposals.
However, House Speaker Lindsay Hoyle, a former Labor member, decided to put both parties' proposals to a vote.
This decision sparked outrage among nationalists and conservatives but allowed Labor to avoid a split on the crucial foreign policy issue.
Within the party, there are differing views: some, including party leadership, advocate for a humanitarian truce in Gaza, while others support a complete ceasefire.
Ultimately, a Labor amendment calling for an immediate humanitarian truce was passed. Neither Scottish nationalists nor Conservatives participated in the vote.
A split within the Labor party, particularly mere months before an election where polls suggest they may regain power, would have been a significant setback for party leader Keir Starmer. Despite calls for his potential resignation due to the controversy, Hoyle's intervention helped avert this scenario.
