Thank you for your email concerning the Hamas/Israel war. I was in Parliament for the proceedings and was frustrated that we were not allowed to vote on the motion and amendments. This was owing to an error by the Speaker, who wanted to put the Labour amendment first which ran the danger that no vote would then be possible on the original SNP motion. He apologised after the event for his mistake. As a result no recorded votes were undertaken on the issues. The chair said the House passed the Labour amendment unanimously. Many MPs in practice cried No to this amendment and objected to the procedure. No division lobby vote was allowed to demonstrate it was not unanimous.
What matters is what happens in Gaza. A vote in the House of Commons is not going to change the conduct of Hamas and Israel. I have throughout said I would like to see a ceasefire and pointed out this can only occur if the two sides in the conflict negotiate the terms of one, whether temporary or permanent. The UK government is speaking for the whole country when it uses its diplomatic powers to support Qatar and Egypt as they seek to bring the two sides together. It is good news to hear from the US Secretary of State that he thinks progress has been made in crucial talks to try to bring the two sides to a ceasefire.
February 23, 2024
Ukraine is the subject of concern which should have a whole day devoted to it. This is the area which is nearest to us and is likely to be the one which brings war closer to us. We need to get arming them to try to stop the killing there (far more have been killed there than in Gaza). I admire them however corrupt we are told the country is. At least they value their country and are patriotic which a lot of people are not here. God help us if there is another war as most of the big cities will be trying to get out on the boats coming in or fight for the other side. What a state you politicians have got us into.
February 23, 2024
He who controls sequence has most effect on outcomes.
Irrespective of tradition, the Speaker had power to decide that sequence, but its effect risks control being wrested from him now. The Speaker intended to decide in the best interests of all, yet is widely being regarded as being at fault, and was. The sinister actions of SNP against Labour, and Labour’s, in fear of its own MPs reaction were equally disgraceful.
Hamas and Israel will each fight to death for the life they decide is right for them, irrespective of what a bunch of foreign MPs in a distant chamber in England might squabble over.
The main issue in the UK is that our own citizens are being threatened and their lives are at risk from many foreign criminals in our own country who hate their existence. Law and order is not being maintained, and the police behave as if it is the criminally-inclined who need protecting.
Perfecting minute details of law is worthless if the Police won’t act as a force for good. Our fundamental problem is the UK police.
February 23, 2024
Trying to bring those involved in conflict to an agreed lasting peace is always a good thing and should be the focus of all diplomacy.
The work to do that simple request though immensely difficult to achieve as we have seen over the decades that Israel has existed, is not influenced or impacted in any way by what our HoC decides to do or not do procedurally correct or not.
Call me Lord Dave our Foreign Secretary should be in Jerusalem not in the Falkland Islands at this tragic time.
Maybe our other past PM, the original Blair as opposed to his heir, might like to go and be part of the Middle East Peace effort? Particularly appropriate, as he was the Middle East Peace Envoy for the UN back in the day post Iraq war….remember?
February 23, 2024
Sadly my comment and your post crossed in the ether or ” cloud ” around 10:40 am today.
Hopefully you will see and read it- and maybe even comment further ?
I am angry and upset- and frankly disappointed with these shenanigans.
February 23, 2024
Hi sir John
Why are we discussing what we have no control over in another country
using parliament time what could be used for domestic issues
The SNP want to .now be part of the uk when they normally criticize and oppose everything the UK government does
it’s be there is a Palestinian/ garza person
Running Scotland
It’s the Palestinians / garza in this country
Protesting and damaging our war memorials we need a cease fire in this country from those thousands supporting terrorists
February 23, 2024
I feel sorry for the Speaker. He made a mistake and apologised profusely, both when he realised and subsequently. One mistake, and trivial people who apparently don’t examine their own lives are baying for his blood. Have they forgotten the disaster that was his predecessor? Do they think that another MP would be perfect? It was, I am sure, a genuine mistake made in good faith.
You are, of course, right that we need a ceasefire in Gaza, but the ordinary Gazans are begging Israel to defeat Hamas. And Israel won’t get the hostages back without military force. Those girls are being raped on a daily basis, and it can’t be allowed to continue.
February 23, 2024
‘Well what does it matter what we say anyway?’ – I’ve heard you Tories saying this. It matters for moral reasons. Refusing to even *say* what you think the right thing is, is utter cowardice and pathetic. I suppose this is now Tory policy: nobody from your party is trying to win the election, because you know Labour will win, so ‘what does it matter anyway?’. Imagine if we had taken this stance all throughout history. The Nazis would only have stopped if they wanted to – Chamberlain and Churchill would have sat around saying ‘well what does it matter what we say anyway’.
Of course, I’d much rather see Britain *do* something, but if we don’t even have the courage to say anything… well, ‘what does it matter anyway’.
Be a man.
Oh and by the way, Israel was stopped from capturing Cairo simply because world powers said called for a ceasefire and said ‘stop, or else’ (have a read: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yom_Kippur_War#UN-backed_ceasefire)