LABOUR MSPs have supported a call by the Scottish Greens for a ceasefire in Gaza as tensions in their party continue to grow over the issue.
A total of nine MSPs – including prominent names such as former party leader Richard Leonard, Pauline McNeill and Monica Lennon – have so far backed a Holyrood motion put forward by Scottish Greens MSP Ross Greer.
The motion states that “the Parliament supports the United Nations Secretary General's calls for a ceasefire in Gaza”.
It comes as Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie has accused the SNP of “game playing” over Gaza – while UK Labour leader Keir Starmer comes under growing pressure to change his stance calling for a humanitarian pause and back a ceasefire.
In an interview on BBC Good Morning Scotland, Baillie said the position of Anas Sarwar was “clear” in calling for a ceasefire – but repeatedly refused to say how she expected her party’s two Scottish MPs to potentially vote on the issue in the Commons.
The motion put forward by Greer has been backed by Labour MSPs Lennon, Leonard, McNeill, Katy Clark, Carol Mochan, Alex Rowley, Paul Sweeney, Foysol Choudhury, and Mercedes Villalba.
It has also received support from 30 SNP and Green politicians so far, including former first minister Nicola Sturgeon.
Meanwhile another motion put forward by SNP MSP Kaukab Stewart has attracted cross-party support from more than 20 MSPs, including Labour’s Clark.
The motion states that Parliament notes the calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Israel, “deplores all violence in the region” and “notes the calls on the UK Government … to do its part in working with other UN nations to demand an end to deadly military action in Gaza and to bring to justice those responsible for the terror attacks suffered by Israel".
A third motion lodged today by Alba MSP Ash Regan on the same issue has so far been backed by five SNP MSPs – Stephanie Callaghan, Christine Grahame, Bill Kidd, Ruth Maguire and Ivan McKee.
