JACKIE Baillie has accused the SNP of “game playing” over Gaza as UK Labour leader Keir Starmer comes under growing pressure to back a ceasefire.
The Scottish Labour deputy leader 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.
It is likely an SNP amendment calling for “all parties to agree to an immediate ceasefire” will be voted on at the end of the King’s Speech debate on Wednesday.
But Starmer – who has called for a humanitarian pause – is facing a rebellion by as many as a dozen shadow ministers over his stance.
He is now under pressure to support a Labour amendment backing a ceasefire to head off the threat of his own MPs voting for an SNP motion, according to a report in the Guardian.
In an interview on BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland, Baillie said: “Well, our position in Scotland has been very clear, Anas Sarwar backs a ceasefire, but the focus should be on what will help the people in Palestine and Israel just now.”
Pressed on whether a ceasefire is the answer she added: “Well, I think the situation is much too important for the kind of Punch and Judy politics we've been seeing.
“There's not a hierarchy on whose lives are more important. I don't want to see any more Israelis killed.
“I don't want to see any more Palestinians killed. I absolutely want the fighting to stop.
“But we shouldn't be game playing about this. We should be focused on what the solutions are.”
Baillie was asked more than once how she expected the two Scottish Labour MPs – Michael Shanks and Ian Murray — to potentially vote on the issue in the Commons this week.
But she did not answer the question, saying the focus should be on “what will actually help the people in Palestine and Israel”.
She said: “I would like to see, as my leader Anas Sarwar has said, we want to see a ceasefire. We want to see humanitarian pauses.
“You cannot watch premature babies dying in hospitals, because there's no electricity to power incubators, and then start the kind of game playing that the SNP are engaged in.
“This is far too serious. We need serious heads considering how we stop the conflict and how we find the lasting solution for Israel and Palestine.”
SNP foreign affairs spokesperson Brendan O’Hara MP said: “SNP MPs will be voting for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Israel.
"Parliament exists to consider matters of importance and the significance of this vote could be huge.
"We urge MPs of all parties to join the growing international momentum for a ceasefire to protect the lives of innocent children, prevent collective punishment and uphold international law."
SNP MP Chris Law also commented: "It’s not the SNP that is playing politics with innocent peoples' lives.
"Scotland needs to be out of the intransigent Westminster foreign policy objectives which is reactionary, ignores clear evidence, and public opinion."
