Why Prime Minister's Questions shows SNP have no intention of dropping Gaza ceasefire push

The SNP have not given up on demanding more concrete action from the UK Government in Gaza.

It is an understatement to say the SNP are angry, having been denied a vote on their own motion during an opposition day debate.

This week has seen rumours swirl around whether the party could boycott certain committees in protest, or use Commons proceedings to once again rail at Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle.

Instead, at a heated Prime Minister’s Questions, the SNP Westminster leader once again focused his questions on Gaza, demanding the House of Commons calls for an immediate ceasefire in the region. He pointed to 30,000 people dead, 70,000 injured and 1.5 million sheltering in Rafa, and the 100 hostages still held by Hamas.

SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn reiterated calls for a ceasefire.

The Prime Minister refused to back an immediate ceasefire, saying it was "not in anyone's interest" as it would "collapse back into fighting within days or weeks".

Mr Flynn then questioned why the government was abstaining on motions at the UN for a Gaza ceasefire. His questions represent consistent campaigning, that has already seen, according to SNP MPs, Labour change its stance.

Following the Labour amendment to an SNP ceasefire motion, there was a suggestion from Labour MPs the whole debate was designed as a trap for Sir Keir Starmer’s party. They saw it as playing politics, and an attempt to smear Labour as supporters of the genocide, framing it as the party failing to stand up for Scotland’s principles.

SNP figures took huge offence to this, despite several of them admitting there was a political element to the vote. They insisted there was still a genuine principle behind it, and the party had no intention of dropping its push for a ceasefire. It also highlights while there is anger at the Speaker, with just four SNP MPs – namely Patrick Grady, Ian Blackford, Tommy Sheppard and Owen Thompson – not signing the motion of no confidence in Sir Lindsay, ousting him is no longer a priority for the SNP leadership.

One MP told The Scotsman “we’ve moved Labour before, and now we need to keep on pushing for a real plan and delivery from Westminster, rather than just words”. The MP added: “Last week was horrendous, but we’ll just have to swallow it up”.

Another said: “I don’t trust the Speaker, he’s folded like a deckchair for his Labour mates. But that doesn’t mean we stop campaigning on this.”

It comes amid reports that a ceasefire has moved closer, with the Prime Minister and US president Joe Biden suggesting a resolution could be reached by Monday. If that comes to pass, the stance the SNP has always held will be official policy and supported by the government.

There is an age-old adage in politics that you should only pick the battles you can win. And while the SNP insist they were not playing politics, they have still seen other parties and international organisations move towards their position.

In a general election year, where the party has made stressing its values a cornerstone of its campaign, this negates any suggestion they are the party of protest. Reiterating calls for a ceasefire helps the SNP look bigger on the world stage, and stresses the influence Scotland could have if independent.