Sir Keir Starmer suffers Labour rebellion as numerous shadow ministers and MPs defy him to vote for Gaza ceasefire

A number of Labour MPs defied the whip to vote for an SNP motion calling for a ceasefire.

Sir Keir Starmer has suffered a major rebellion as numerous shadow ministers and MPs defied him to vote for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Four shadow ministers, including Jess Phillips, Yasmin Qureshi, Afzal Khan and Paula Barker – quit on Wednesday evening after deciding to support an SNP amendment to the King’s Speech backing a ceasefire.

Other frontbenchers: Rachel Hopkins, Sarah Owen, Naz Shah and Andy Slaughter; also face being sacked after breaking the party whip to back the amendment. In total 56 Labour MPs defied the three-line whip.

People at a Humanity Not Hatred Vigil, for civilians suffering in Israel and Palestine, in Richmond Terrace, Westminster, central London.

The motion lost by 125 votes to 293, with hundreds of MPs abstaining on the SNP amendment to the King’s Speech backing a ceasefire.

Sir Keir had tried to ward off the rebellion, with MPs ordered to abstain and instead back longer “humanitarian pauses” rather than a ceasefire. Labour's amendment would have seen off the ceasefire motion if passed, but fell by 183 votes to 219.

The Labour leader expressed his disappointment after the vote. He said: “Alongside leaders around the world, I have called throughout for adherence to international law, for humanitarian pauses to allow access for aid, food, water, utilities and medicine, and have expressed our concerns at the scale of civilian casualties. Much more needs to be done in this regard to ease the humanitarian crisis that is unfolding in Gaza.

“And in addition to addressing the present, every leader has a duty not to go back to a failed strategy of containment and neglect, but to forge a better and more secure future for both Palestinians and Israelis.

"I wanted to be clear about where I stood, and where I will stand. Leadership is about doing the right thing. That is the least the public deserves. And the least that leadership demands.”

In a scale of the conflict within Labour over a ceasefire, Shadow ministers Naz Shah, Helen Hayes and Afzal Khan broke ranks with their party leader backing the amendment before it even came time to vote. Jess Phillips also quit as shadow minister for domestic abuse and safeguarding.

The shadow minister for crime reduction, Ms Shah said a “humanitarian catastrophe” is taking place in Gaza as she backed calls for an “immediate ceasefire”.

She told the Commons: “I will be supporting the amendment which seeks an immediate ceasefire.”

The Bradford West MP also invoked Robin Cook, who resigned from Sir Tony Blair’s Cabinet over the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

“Make no mistake, this is a humanitarian catastrophe which is why I urge members to back an immediate ceasefire on all sides and push for the release of hostages,” she said.

Ms Hayes, a shadow minister for children and early years, said her “conscience” told her she should back a ceasefire.

“We must all of us be able to stand in front of our own constituents with integrity and at peace with our own conscience on the issues that matter most to them.

“My conscience tells me that I must call for a ceasefire today,” the Dulwich and West Norwood MP said.

Shadow business minister Afzal Khan, who represents Manchester Gorton, said: “If we had a ceasefire yesterday 144 Gazan children would still be alive today. Israel has already crossed every red line imaginable and broken international humanitarian laws.

“History has shown us that military action alone does not resolve conflicts and Israel’s use of force will not resolve this one.

“We need to call an immediate ceasefire now. My constituents have demanded this and I will not refuse them. Supporting a ceasefire is the very least we can do.”

Labour MP Yasmin Qureshi wrote to Sir Keir saying she would resign from her role as a shadow minister for women and equalities.

The MP for Bolton South East wrote: “The situation in Gaza desperately requires an immediate ceasefire to address the humanitarian catastrophe and to advance moves towards a political solution that brings freedom, prosperity and security.”

Labour's shadow minister for devolution and the English Regions Paula Barker also resigned, saying it was a matter of "conscience".

Despite sharing Labour’s position, Tory MPs were whipped to vote against the Labour motion, in a clear attempt to force a damaging rebellion against Sir Keir.

Labour former foreign secretary Dame Margaret Beckett told MPs she supports the Labour front bench, saying there is a difference between calling for a ceasefire and calling for an end to violence.

She added: “Tragically, to some people, calling for a ceasefire means that Israel should stop fighting but not that anybody else should cease.”

Several SNP sources admitted to The Scotsman part of the intention behind the amendment was to create problems for Labour, but insisted there was also a belief momentum could come from Westminster backing a ceasefire.

MPs also heard from British-Palestinian Lib Dem MP Layla Moran, who told the Commons today she lost a family member in Gaza who was unable to get medical care, and would be backing a ceasefire.

She said: “I wanted to let the House know that today I lost my first family member.

“The reason why this is important, having spoken about how they are in a church in Gaza City and how they didn’t I am afraid die of a bomb, instead they died perhaps for lack of food, perhaps for dehydration”.

Speaking after the vote, SNP Westminster Leader Stephen Flynn MP said: “Tonight, the SNP voted in line with our values for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Israel. SNP MPs will be able to look themselves in the mirror knowing they did the right thing.

“It’s shameful that a majority of Tory and Labour MPs blocked calls for a ceasefire - and have condoned the continued bombardment of Gaza, which has killed thousands of children and civilians, in breach of international law.

“There is growing international momentum for an immediate ceasefire but Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer have opted out of it - and have instead chosen to repeat their parties’ past mistakes by ignoring the UN, disregarding international law and sitting on their hands while innocent civilians are being killed.

“It is clear that support for a ceasefire would have been even stronger tonight if Keir Starmer had not threatened Labour MPs with punishments if they voted for peace”.

Earlier Labour’s two Scottish MPs wrote to the SNP Westminster leader urging him to work with them, insisting Labour’s amendment sets out “what can realistically be achieved in the short term to halt the humanitarian crisis we are witnessing”.

Labour’s shadow Scotland secretary Ian Murray and Michael Shanks MP said: “The reality is that neither the long-term security of Israel nor long-term justice for Palestine can be delivered by bombs and bullets but through a political settlement.

“As you know, in these situations of grave international crisis parliament is at its best when we work together to find common solutions and speak with one voice”.

It follows a trade union body in Scotland echoing calls for a ceasefire in a meeting with the First Minister, Humza Yousaf.

Humza Yousaf’s calls for a ceasefire have been known for weeks, with his mother- and father in-law Elizabeth and Maged El-Nakla recently escaping the conflict.

Roz Foyer, Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC), general secretary, said her organisation joined with the First Minister and the United Nations in demanding an end to the killing of innocent men, women and children in the Middle Eastern region.

Ms Foyer said: “Collective punishment is a war crime. International law must be upheld. Peace must reign. However distant it may seem, a political solution can be found that guarantees peace and statehood for all peoples in Israel and Palestine.”