Hannah Miller
Political correspondent

It is going to be a challenge for the Speaker to withstand calls from the SNP for him to go.

The SNP is the third largest party in the House of Commons - and commanding the respect of all parties is imperative for him to fulfil his duties as an impartial mediator of proceedings.

The Parliament website states that ‘Speakers must try to ensure that, notwithstanding the pressure of business, every point of view in the House is given an opportunity for expression.’

Speaker Hoyle would argue that was exactly his aim in selecting the Labour amendment last night.

But after the Conservatives abstained, it resulted in the SNP feeling their voice has been denied - on the very day they were supposed to set the agenda.

Whether the Speaker can win back the confidence of the SNP is now crucial to his future.

Let's bring you some more details on what Stephen Flynn just said in the House of Commons - calling for a vote on the Speaker at the "earliest possible effect".

"We saw the best in this House in its ability to debate and we also saw the worst of this House as it descended into farce," he told Parliament.

"I think I speak for everyone in the chamber now, and indeed yesterday, when I express my deep sorrow that was able to happen given the content we were debating.

"Nevertheless, Mr Speaker, it descended into farce because of a decision you made, and you alone made to ignore the advice given to you by the clerks.

"In doing so on the opposition day of the SNP, my colleagues and I were denied the ability to vote on a matter which is of grave concern to us and which, over recent months, we have sought to raise in this Chamber at every available opportunity.

"It ultimately turned into a Labour opposition day - that quite frankly is not acceptable."

Flynn says he expressed privately to the Speaker, as he told Parliament, he and his SNP colleagues "do not have confidence" in Sir Lindsay Hoyle's ability to continue in his role.

The SNP's David Linden also spoke before his party's Westminster leader, Stephen Flynn. He challenged Penny Mordaunt on why house speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle didn't opt for the Liberal Democrat amendment if he in fact wanted to give "the widest possible debate".

He added to this by saying the SNP were "stitched up" in a deal with Labour.

Mordaunt replied by directing MPs to internal advice and asserted that anyone "peddling the line" that yesterday's events would have lead to a larger debate has not read the advice.

Labour MP Wayne David pressed Mordaunt about why she decided to withdraw the government's amendment to the ceasefire vote.

Mordaunt replied by saying that she would direct the Labour MP to the advice the clerk gave.

Referring to the Speaker's controversial allowance of the Labour amendment, she said it was a break with procedure. She added that conversations were currently happening about the office of the Speaker "never being put upon in the way it was yesterday."

"We all know what happened", she said. "If the honourable gentleman is not aware, he should talk to his frontbench."

We'll have more from the exchange between the SNP's Stephen Flynn and Sir Linday Hoyle shortly, but can bring you some other speakers from the session for now.

Before Flynn raised his question there was a rare moment of solidarity in the House of Commons as Labour's Stephen Doughty acknowledged Tory Mark Francois and his track record of taking MPs concerns on board.

Moving on to the constituencies he represents, Cardiff South and Penarth, Doughty said the public are concerned about the scenes they have witnessed on the ground in Gaza.

He also asked for guidance on support for people who have duel-citizenship and might also have relatives living in the besieged enclave.

The Speaker of the House, Sir Lindsay Hoyle has responded to the SNP's Stephen Flynn said sorry again for the decision he took yesterday.

"I regret it. I apologise. I made a mistake."

He says he has seen details of the threats to some MPs and emphasises that all are at risk.

"I never ever want to go through a situation where I find a friend has been murdered and I don't want another attack on this house."

He made the decision out of safety concerns, he says.

"I have a duty of care to protect people."

Stephen Flynn, the SNP's Westminster leader, says his party does not have confidence in the role of the Speaker and asks for a vote.

Addressing Sir Lindsay Hoyle directly, who has appeared as Speaker in the chamber, he says yesterday turned into a "Labour opposition day" which he says his SNP colleagues do not find acceptable.

Conservative MP Mark Francois is next to stand and starts by saying: "Collectively, last night was not our finest hour."

He notes that Sir Lindsay Hoyle has apologised over it, and that he should be afforded the courtesy of having his apology accepted in the same way that MPs who misbehave in the House hope their apologies are accepted by their colleagues.

The Tory MP then pays tribute to Hoyle's role following the 2021 murder of MP Sir David Amess by an Islamic extremist.

"Mr Speaker went the extra mile for all of us to help us all deal with that tragedy," Francois says.

He says the House should return to the debate with Hoyle in the chair.

Mordaunt rises to say that she has nothing to add to Francois's comments and notes that he "said it very well".

Image source, PA Media

In the last few moments, we've just heard from Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer in some of his first comments since yesterday's chaos unfolded in the Commons.

He is "categorically" denying threatening Sir Lindsay Hoyle to select his party's amendment in the Gaza ceasefire debate in a move that unleashed parliamentary chaos.

The Labour leader says he "simply urged" the Commons Speaker to have "the broadest possible debate" by putting a number of options in front of MPs during the Gaza ceasefire debate.

Speaking at a train depot in Sussex, he went on to tell reporters: "I can categorically tell you that I did not threaten the Speaker in any way whatsoever.

"I simply urged [him] to ensure that we have the broadest possible debate."

Labour's Debbie Abraham is now chiming in to say that she was "ashamed to be an MP" during yesterday's Commons row, but she swiftly moves on to use her time to question Penny Mordaunt about the potential for a new debate on Gaza.

Mordaunt responds to this by saying that there will be "ample opportunities" to hold discussions on Gaza.

She also adds that she isn't ashamed of being an MP, despite what happened, before taking a jab at the Labour Party.

"I think if I was a member of the Labour Party, I'd be ashamed of that," she says.

Conservative MP Vicky Ford is now bringing up how some MPs say they're being harassed, stalked and threatened.

One of the reasons, the Tory MP says, is the lack of transparency over the reasons why MPs vote one way or another.

She says that this means it can be misinterpreted and then "used to drum up hatred of MPs".

Ford suggests that MPs should be able to explain why they have voted a certain way and that should be written up online.

"This would keep MPs safer."

Ford asks if the leader of the House will take the idea on board, adding that: "It would help keep our democracy safe."

Penny Mordaunt replies by saying that it is a very helpful suggestion and adds that "this House will never kowtow to extremists or intimidation."

Labour MP Barry Sheerman is now calling for a review into yesterday's events in the House of Commons, which he says he's "not seen" in his time on the bench.

He says that his fellow MPs "should learn" from the behaviour that was on display Wednesday during the ceasefire vote, adding that it was "awful" and "rowdy".

Penny Mordaunt agrees with the Labour MP's characterisation by saying that what took place yesterday is "completely shameful".

She adds that though she wants to "take the heat out of this", she will continue to advocate for all members of Parliament to be able to express their views.

Image source, PA

Away from the Commons now to No 10, and Downing Street has repeatedly refused to say whether Rishi Sunak has confidence in Sir Lindsay Hoyle.

"The prime minister's focus is on addressing the situation in the Middle East," his spokesperson says, when asked whether Hoyle retained Sunak's confidence.

"And as I say, that is what he's spending his time focused on. Matters for the House, as I say, are matters for the House."

Former immigration minister Robert Jenrick claims the events from yesterday evening was not about party politics, but instead "that this House appears cowed by threats of violence and intimidation".

He says Parliament appears weak and goes on to claim that Britain has been "dominated" by "Islamist extremists" and that British Jews are "intimidated" and scared to walk down the street.

He is now asking that a debate be held on tackling extremism.

Penny Mordaunt says she could not agree more with the Tory MP's observations.

She says there is "tremendous" work ongoing to "protect democracy" and says she will ensure the Home Secretary James Cleverly hears Jenrick's remarks.

Image source, UK Parliament

SNP MP Owen Thompson is now telling the House that yesterday's events in the House of Commons were "incredibly disappointing".

Thompson says that it was the SNPs "opportunity to put forward our business to the House" and that their voice was made "silent" when a vote on their motion did not go ahead.

He asks Penny Mordaunt if "an alternative date" can be given to rectify the situation.

Mordaunt tells Thompson that she is "sympathetic" to the SNP being given more time and suggests that it should be "knocked off" some of Labour's time.

Conservative MP Sir Bernard Jenkins is now addressing the House of Commons and says that he doesn't feel that MPs "resolved anything" relating to Gaza and Israel during yesterday's events.

He also encourages MPs to embrace an earlier suggestion made by the shadow leader Lucy Powell for the government to hold a debate to discuss the matters, with space for amendments from other parties, and this would "draw a line" under the controversy.

Leader of the House of Commons, Penny Mordaunt, responds to this by saying that she will consider Sir Jenkin's suggestion and will address them with business leaders.

Leader of the House of Commons Penny Mordaunt is back up.

She asks all members not to do the Commons "a further disservice by suggesting that the shameful events that took place yesterday were anything other than party politics".

Addressing her shadow counterpart Lucy Powell directly, Mordaunt says: "If she cannot rise above narrow and immediate needs of her weak and fickle leader ... perhaps she might like to reflect on the damage her party has done to the office of the Speaker".

"I would never have done to him what the Labour party have done to him," she adds.

Shadow leader of the house, Lucy Powell, is up now and she starts by saying that "yesterday was a very difficult day in the House of Commons".

"We did not show ourselves at our best."

She says most MPs think the Speaker "always has the best intentions" in his decisions and she is grateful to him for trying to enable the widest possible views to be expressed.

There is laughter and jeering in the chamber when when she says that no one could have expected events to unfold as they did.

Deputy Speaker Rosie Winterton quickly interjects to tell MPs off for shouting at Powell and reminds them to be calm.

Powell says the government raised a number of questions when it decided to withdraw from yesterday's debate.

She goes on to say the MPs should remember the debate is about life and death, war and conflict and how the UK can play a part in bringing about a lasting peace.

Image source, UK Parliament/PA

The leader of the Commons, Conservative Penny Mordaunt, began this morning's session by reading out the business for the next two weeks.

Notably missing from her introduction was any mention of the ceasefire motion, or the absence of Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle.

Hoyle will meet later with Mordaunt, who accused the Speaker of having "undermined the confidence" of the House on Wednesday.

Nicholas Watt
Political editor, BBC Newsnight

So far, 57 MPs have signed a motion of no confidence in Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle.

A senior Tory MP tells me: "A lot of us agree with Will Wragg’s EDM [early day motion] but are reluctant to sign it.

"If the Speaker doesn’t indicate by next week that he is going then lots of us will then sign it.”