Growing pressure on Sir Lindsay Hoyle following Commons row over Gaza motion.

A growing number of MPs are calling for the resignation of Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle after a contentious vote on Gaza in the Commons on Wednesday. As of Thursday evening, more than 60 Members of Parliament have backed a motion expressing no confidence in Hoyle’s leadership.

The motion, led by Conservative MP William Wragg, has garnered significant support from senior figures within both the Conservative Party and the Scottish National Party (SNP). Among the signatories are prominent figures such as Sir Graham Brady, the Conservative 1922 Committee chair, and the SNP’s Westminster leader Stephen Flynn, along with his deputy Mhairi Black.

The motion stems from frustration within the SNP, with over half of their Westminster MPs signing it. The party expressed dissatisfaction over Hoyle’s handling of its opposition day motion, which focused on Gaza. In total, 39 Conservatives and one independent MP, former Tory Rob Roberts, have also lent their support.

While the early day motion is unlikely to be debated in the Commons, the sheer number of signatories signals a significant erosion of confidence in Hoyle’s ability to lead. There is no formal process for removing a Speaker, but if the motion garners enough backing or if a confidence vote were held, it would be difficult for Hoyle to remain in his role.

The last time a Speaker was forced out of office was in 2009 when Michael Martin resigned after the MPs’ expenses scandal. That resignation followed an “unprecedented” motion supported by 23 MPs, which ultimately led to his departure just days later.

In contrast to the 2009 situation, which saw support for the motion from MPs across all major parties, the current motion has only seen backing from Conservatives and SNP members. Stephen Flynn is the only party leader to have called for Hoyle’s resignation publicly.