The Speaker of the House of Commons has rejected an SNP bid for an emergency debate on a ceasefire in Gaza.

Sir Linsday Hoyle said there was no need as the UK government was making a "relevant statement" in the Parliament on Tuesday and there would be a "very imminent opportunity" for MPs to make their views known. 

Stephen Flynn, the SNP's Westminster leader, accused the Speaker of breaking his word. 

READ MORE: SNP call for vote of no confidence in Speaker

Last Wednesday's debate on an SNP motion calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war ended in chaos after Sir Lindsay, following a tense meeting with Sir Keir Starmer, broke with convention and allowed a Labour amendment to be debated and voted on, despite warnings from his clerk. 

The SNP said that had ultimately turned their opposition day into a Labour opposition day.

Sir Lindsay apologised the next day, and said he had made a mistake. 

He told the Commons: “I would say that we can have an SO24 (Standing Order 24) to get an immediate debate because the debate is so important to this House."

However, when Mr Flynn applied for that debate today, the Speaker said it would not proceed. 

The decision will add to the pressure on Sir Lindsay. At the time of writing, 80 MPs, including 36 from the SNP, have signed an early day motion expressing no confidence in the Speaker. 

Raising a point of order in the Commons, Mr Flynn said that in "good faith" he and his colleagues had "sought to bring forward an SO24 debate which would have, amongst other things, sought to end the sales of arms to Israel and indeed to ensure that this House said to the Government that it must use its voice at the United Nations to exercise our view in favour of an immediate ceasefire.”

However, Sir Lindsay said that he understood the UK Government was "ready to make a relevant statement tomorrow so there is a very imminent opportunity for this important matter to come before the House."

He added: “That is why I have decided the application for an emergency debate should not proceed. That decision, of course, does not mean that members cannot apply for a debate at a later stage when circumstances might have changed.

“Whilst the decision is mine to take, I have consulted the deputies on this matter and the clerks and we have agreed on this approach.”

READ MORE: Flynn calls for probe into Speaker's meeting with Starmer

Speaking after the answer, Mr Flynn said the "inexplicable decision will further erode trust in the Speaker."

He added: "The Speaker broke the rules last week - and this week he has broken his word. How can MPs have any trust in the Speaker when he makes a public commitment one minute, only to rip it up the next. If 30,000 dead Palestinians aren't worthy of an emergency debate - what is?"