PMQs: How did Stephen Flynn, Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer perform as conflict in Gaza dominates

Only the SNP Westminster leader used the session to call for a ceasefire.

Wednesday saw an unusual PMQs, where the usual confrontational tone was replaced with sombre and serious consensus.

The Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer did not use his questions to criticise the Government, instead raising concerns about hostages and hate crime that the Prime Minister naturally agreed with him on.Only Stephen Flynn, the SNP Westminster leader spoke of something different to his two rivals, calling for Rishi Sunak to urge a ceasefire, something the Prime Minister avoided.

Keir Starmer

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak speaks during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons, London.

Sir Keir used his questions to urge the Commons to approach the conflict with a united voice, and called out a “disgusting rise” in antisemitism since the Hamas attack, with Jewish families “hiding who they are”, along with an “appalling surge” in Islamophobia – with mosques “forced to ramp up security”.The Labour leader repeatedly urged the House to work together, asking questions the Prime minister could only agree with. These included the need to deal with hate crimes, free the hostages, and find a two-state solution.

In a softening of his initial full-throttle support for Israel, he said: “Does the Prime Minister agree that during this grave crisis this House must strive to speak with one voice in condemnation of terror, in support of Israel’s right to self-defence and for the dignity of all human life that cannot be protected without humanitarian access to those suffering in Gaza and the constant maintenance of the rule of international law?”

Rishi Sunak

The Prime Minister was stately and serious as he outlined measures the UK Government was talking to support those in Gaza, including speaking with the Emir of Qatar.

He told MPs “we are working round the clock” with partners and allies to secure the freedom of the hostages taken by Hamas, but declined to support a ceasfire.

Mr Sunak condemned Hamas for “perpetrating a shockingly brutal terrorist attack”, and told the Commons MPs must united in supporting Israel’s right to defend itself.

He said: “Unlike Hamas, the Israeli president has made it very clear that their armed forces will operate in accordance with international law and we will continue to urge the Israelis to take every precaution to avoid harming civilians whilst remembering, importantly, in this House that it is Hamas that is cruelly embedding itself in civilian populations.”

Stephen Flynn

The SNP Westminster leader used his questions to be more direct on policy, calling for a ceasefire in Israel and Palestine, and asking for refugee resettlement routes for Palestinians.Speaking to cheers of support from the SNP benches, he outlined a ceasefire was essential for the safe creation of humanitarian corridors to help the “innocent civilians caught up in this terrible conflict to flee”. He compared the resettlement routes to those given to Syrian, Afghani, Ukrainian nationals, but did not attract support from the Prime Minister.

He added: “My ask for a ceasefire was done with all sincerity, sincerity to protect civilians, but also to ensure that we have the safe creation of humanitarian corridors, humanitarian corridors which will allow for food, for water and for vital medicines to get in to Gaza, but also for innocent civilians caught up in this terrible conflict to flee”.