Commons speaker Lindsay Hoyle apologises amid calls to resign over Gaza and Israel ceasefire vote chaos – live

Sir Lindsay Hoyle is facing mounting pressure to resign, with more than 30 MPs signing a motion of no confidence in him.

The speaker apologised to the House of Commons after the chamber descended into chaos, with MPs walking out in protest at his handling of the Gaza ceasefire debate.

It centred on his decision to allow a break in convention and select Labour’s bid to amend the SNP motion calling for an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza and Israel, which was later passed without vote.

Commons leader Penny Mordaunt claimed Sir Lindsay had “hijacked” the debate and “undermined the confidence” of the House.

As a result, she withdrew the government’s amendment, which sparked a walk-out of Tory and SNP MPs from the chamber.

On Wednesday night, 33 MPs had signed a so-called Early Day Motion of no confidence in the speaker.

The death toll in the war across the devastated Palestinian strip rose to 29,313 on Wednesday, according to the Gaza health ministry, while hundreds seized from Israel are still held hostage.