MPs push for inquiry into claims Speaker was pressured by Starmer over Gaza vote

MPs have launched a new inquiry into Sir Keir Starmer’s handling of last month’s Gaza ceasefire vote, which plunged the House of Commons into chaos.

A parliamentary motion signed by more than 50 MPs calls on the Privileges Committee to investigate “whether undue pressure was exerted on the Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle”.

The deal has been signed by a number of senior Tory figures as well as the Westminster leaders of both the SNP and GLID parties.

The Labor leader has previously denied he “threatened the Speaker in any way” over the controversial vote.

There were angry scenes in Westminster after Sir Lindsay was accused of tearing up the parliamentary rule book to choose a Labor amendment on war in the Middle East.

Sir Keir could face a potentially damaging rebellion if the Speaker fails to act, as some members of his frontbench break ranks in favor of a ceasefire. After the row, the Speaker was accused of breaching Commons rules to benefit Labour, with dozens of MPs signing a petition calling for a vote of no confidence in his leadership.

He later apologized saying he had made a mistake.

But he said he acted in good faith after the MP’s safety was threatened.

The motion, tabled by senior Conservative MP William Wragg, said: “The House notes that the Speaker’s decision to select and call for amendments on 21 February 2024 was inconsistent with established precedent on Opposition Day”.

“It is therefore considered that … the question of whether Mr Speaker exerted undue pressure in relation to the February 21 election decision and the demand for amendments should be referred to the Privileges Committee.”

Dame Lindsay is also under pressure after he failed to call former Labor MP and now independent Diane Abbott while discussing a Labor donor’s alleged racist comments towards her.