Israel-Gaza: SNP's Stephen Flynn 'deeply confused' over Anas Sarwar Labour whip claim around ceasefire vote

Labour has not ruled out backing the SNP motion for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza region

SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn has said he is “deeply confused” as to why Anas Sarwar claimed Labour whips had been in contact with his party about its Gaza motion.

Mr Flynn’s party has forced a vote in the Commons, due to take place on Wednesday, pushing for an immediate ceasefire in the region. Speaking to the BBC on Sunday, the Scottish Labour leader said there had been contact between the two parties’ whips on a potential deal to support the motion.

Owen Thompson, the SNP’s chief whip, quickly rubbished the claims and Mr Flynn told journalists there had not been contact as of Monday morning.

A picture taken from Rafah shows smoke billowing over Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip during Israeli bombardment. Picture: Said Khatib/AFP via Getty Images

“I’m deeply confused that Anas Sarwar took it upon himself to go on national television and to effectively lie and mislead the people of Scotland regarding Labour whips speaking to SNP whips,” he said after an event with First Minister Humza Yousaf in Aberdeen.

“That has not happened – that is categorically untrue. I think that does Anas Sarwar a deep disservice – maybe he’s been spun a line by UK Labour and he’s fallen for it, but it hasn’t happened.”

Get the inside track on what’s happening in the world of Scottish politics with our daily newsletter

On Sunday, Mr Flynn offered a meeting to Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer to discuss the vote – but he stressed the aim of an immediate ceasefire must not be watered down.

“If there’s an opportunity for him to back our motion in relation to an immediate ceasefire, I’d like to have that discussion,” Mr Flynn said.

Speaking at the Scottish Labour conference in Glasgow on Sunday, Sir Keir said “fighting must stop now” in Gaza while those at the gathering of activists voted unanimously to back a ceasefire on Saturday.

Asked if he would consider changes to the party’s motion, Mr Flynn said: “I believe in an immediate ceasefire and I would encourage other party leaders to do likewise.”

Mr Flynn went on to claim the “appeasement of the UK Government simply isn’t working”.

“You can’t have 30,000 people killed, 70,000 injured, 1.4 million people sitting in Rafah which is usually home to about 170,000 to 180,000 people being bombarded by the Israeli Defence Force (IDF), and the United Kingdom, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, a close ally of Israel, who of course have a vote in the United Nations, who sell arms to Israel, just sits back, sits silent, doesn’t do anything,” he said.

Mr Flynn's comments came as senior Labour MP Wes Streeting said Israel’s actions in Gaza had gone “beyond reasonable self-defence”.

Mr Streeting made the critical comments after stating his party was “considering” its options on whether to back an SNP-led vote this week on an immediate ceasefire.

A similar vote tabled by the SNP in November saw eight shadow ministers break ranks to back an immediate ceasefire, with some 56 Labour members defying a three-line whip and backing an amendment to the King’s Speech.

Mr Streeting told Sky News: "Israel has a responsibility to get its hostages back, every country in the world has a right to defend itself. But I think what we have seen are actions that go beyond reasonable self-defence and also call into question whether Israel has broken international law."