There has been a lot of hot air following the ruling by Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the speaker of the House of Commons (Lindsay Hoyle fights back as Sunak criticises speaker’s ‘concerning’ choice, 22 February). Conservatives and the Scottish National party in particular should reflect that they may well benefit from any move away from the hitherto rigid approach towards amendments to motions. The speaker was right to stress the importance of allowing a range of views on difficult and important issues. I well remember in the debate over war in Iraq not wanting to vote for either the government’s motion or the only amendment that had been allowed, and preferring a third that had not been selected.
Joyce Quin
Labour, House of Lords
• “Everyone wanted a ceasefire. Only they wanted their own ceasefire, not anyone else’s ceasefire.” John Crace is spot-on in his parliamentary sketch (While people die in Gaza, the UK parliament goes to war over the ceasefire, 21 February). A day wasted and Westminster politics revealed for what it is. A tawdry farce whose outcome – even if “precedent” had been followed – would make no difference to the suffering in Gaza. And all this while we continue to send arms to Israel. Shameful.
Lyn A Dade
Twickenham, London
