How significant is the row over the Gaza ceasefire vote? 

Welcome to Thursday’s Early Edition from i.

It was supposed to be a serious vote on one of the world’s most critical issues, but instead it descended into farce. “To see this chaos in the House of Commons, it is really British politics at its lowest. This is disgraceful and shameful,” Husam Zomlot, the Palestinian Ambassador in the UK, told Channel 4 News . A debate in the Commons yesterday was supposed to focus on an SNP motion calling for an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza. But when speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle broke with procedure, allowing instead a vote on a Labour motion, the chamber erupted. SNP MPs and some Tory MPs walked out while some cried “resign” and “shame”. A furious Stephen Flynn, the SNP Westminster leader, said his party had been treated “with complete and utter contempt”. Later, a Labour amendment calling for an “all sides” halt to the fighting was passed without a vote. Sir Keir Starmer accused the Conservatives and SNP of “choosing political games over serious solutions.” What happened, what does it mean, and will it change anything? We’ll take a look, after the headlines.

 Today’s news, and why it matters

 One of Devon’s most popular beaches is again being subjected to untreated sewage being pumped into the sea just a month after the last major spill. South West Water has told local residents that it has re-launched the use of tankers to transport sewage each day from a burst pipe to pumping stations along the Exmouth coast.

The Government could be spared the release of two potentially “explosive” reports into asylum hotels and the Rwanda scheme until after the general election due to its sacking of the watchdog scrutinising its work, i can reveal. A former Conservative minister accused the Government of “hiding behind the sofa” to avoid scrutiny.

Jeremy Hunt will not be able to announce big tax cuts at the Budget despite getting a £9bn borrowing boost, Government insiders fear. The Chancellor is hoping to cut income tax or national insurance next month in a pre-election giveaway for taxpayers.

More than a third of parents eligible for a new Government childcare scheme are considering quitting their jobs or reducing their hours, amid concerns they will be worse off due to rocketing nursery costs. Campaign group Pregnant Then Screwed found that costs for childcare and top-up fees are increasing for the majority of families.

The banking industry fears a seizure of billions of pounds in Russian assets from UK accounts could cause a worldwide financial crisis, i has been told. A leading industry source said there are concerns that David Cameron’s plan to seize around £26bn of assets held by British banks to fund the reconstruction of a post-war Ukraine could cause a worldwide recession bigger than the financial crash in 2008.

An XL Bully rescuer posted online about the “incredible strength” of a dog that he helped to re-home in Scotland before it attacked another animal and was shot dead by police. Police Scotland described the dog shot dead by officers as “dangerously out of control”.

Four key questions on the Gaza ceasefire row:

What happened? The SNP, which is allocated up to three days on which it can lead debates, had wanted to use one of those to debate and vote on a motion it had tabled. That motion called for an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza, the release of all hostages held by Hamas and “an end to the collective punishment of the Palestinian people”. Labour responded by tabling an amendment to the motion, which said a ceasefire involves both sides agreeing to lay down their arms and the return of all hostages taken by Hamas, and calling for a diplomatic process for achieving a two-state solution and a lasting peace. The row erupted when Sir Lindsay decided the Commons would first vote on Labour’s amendment before moving on to further votes on the SNP’s original motion, and then a Government proposal seeking an “immediate humanitarian pause”. The expectation, under normal procedure, had been that the Government amendment and the SNP motion would be debated, with both being voted on. Sir Lindsay said he wanted MPs to consider the “widest possible range of options” while also acknowledging it was an exceptional move. The SNP said they were denied an opportunity. But it also allowed Sir Keir to avoid a rebellion from within his own ranks over an issue that has bitterly divided his party. Penny Mordaunt, the leader of the Commons, accused Sir Lindsay of hijacking the debate and sidestepping procedure to help Labour. She said: “I would ask that the Speaker take the opportunity to reassure all members that their Speaker, our Speaker, will not seek to undermine those rights in order to protect the interests of particular members.” Labour’s amendment ended up passing unopposed without a formal vote after the Government pulled its participation, meaning the vote is non-binding.

What questions do Sir Lindsay Hoyle and Labour face? Sir Lindsay later issued an emotional apology, saying “I regret how it’s ended up.” He said: “It is with my sadness that it ended in this position. It was never my intention. I recognise the strength of feeling of this House and its members. I will reflect on my part in that. I do not want it to have ended like this.” However the calls within the chamber for him to resign have continued. ITV’s Robert Peston wrote that “a senior MP has warned [Sir Linsday] he has lost the confidence of MPs, and should ‘resign before being pushed.’ This MP says Hoyle – fairly or not – is widely seen to have succumbed to Labour pressure in ditching convention on the Gaza vote.” As Jane Merrick explains: Sir Lindsay’s decision to allow the Labour amendment – which saved Sir Keir Starmer from a major rebellion – enraged other parties because he is supposed to be resolutely impartial. There are now moves for a vote of no confidence in the Speaker, with more than 30 MPs signing a parliamentary motion. Read her full piece here. Meanwhile, SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn called for an investigation as he appeared to suggest Sir Keir and Labour’s chief whip had exerted pressure on Sir Lindsay. But Labour frontbencher John Healey told BBC Newsnight it was “totally untrue that he was put under pressure”.

Does it matter? Many observers agree yesterday’s events did nothing for Gaza, and would have achieved little no matter what they voted on. The News Agents’ Lewis Goodall summed it up : “Net result of all of this? Starmer has a lucky escape. Speaker is weaker. Commons is farcical. Nothing changes in Gaza. MPs don’t really get their vote. We continue not to scrutinise what matters (and even then not that much), which is the government’s position and plan.” Ian Dunt was more scathing: “What is the difference between an ‘immediate ceasefire’, an ‘immediate humanitarian ceasefire’, an ‘immediate humanitarian pause’ and ‘immediate bilateral ceasefire’? Absolutely nothing at all. They’re tearing each other apart over statements whose distinction not even a theologian could explain. It’s a pitiful sight – the behaviour of people who simply do not have the moral seriousness to handle the events they are discussing.” Read his full piece here . However those desperate for relief from the relentless horrors unfolding in Gaza would do well to look away from the Commons. Last night, a member of Israel’s war cabinet suggested new attempts are underway to reach a ceasefire deal. “Initial signs indicate a possibility of moving forward,” said Benny Gantz, a former military chief and defense minister. That may well be the space to watch.

But some say yesterday’s events matter for another reason: Sir Lindsay said the personal safety of many MPs had been one reason he was persuaded to allow the amendments through. There has been increasing concern over the safety of MPs amid the increasingly heated debate surrounding the conflict between Israel and Gaza. Earlier this week a Labour MP told i that the “safety of us and our families because of this is one of huge concern, especially as there’s an increasing vitriolic nature of certain individuals”. Yesterday senior Conservative MP Sir Charles Walker said: “People are frightened. People have weaponised this debate in this chamber. Whips are frightened for their flocks. They are frightened for their flocks because members of parliament now feel that they have to vote in a certain way to safeguard their safety and the safety of their family. This is a far bigger issue than the debate we’re having tonight.” Read that piece, here.

Around the world

 Russia’s intelligence agencies are learning from past mistakes and using new methods to rebuild the country’s spy network in Europe, according to experts, leading to a worrying increase in spy activities overseas, including assassinations. One Russian defector who appeared to have met such fate was Maksim Kuzminov, a pilot who orchestrated a daring escape to Ukraine but whose body was found riddled with bullets in a coastal Spanish village last week.

Alabama’s largest hospital has paused IVF treatments following a controversial court ruling in the state that said frozen embryos are the legal equivalent of children . The University of Alabama at Birmingham said it must evaluate whether its patients or doctors could face criminal charges or punitive damages for undergoing IVF treatments.“We are saddened that this will impact our patients’ attempt to have a baby through IVF,” it said.

Israelis reacted with a mix of indifference and irritation to a rare political intervention from Prince William calling for “an end to the fighting in Gaza”. The Prince of Wales issued the statement on Tuesday in co-ordination with the Foreign Office, using the same phrase as Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron that “too many have been killed” during the Israel-Hamas war while calling for more aid to be allowed into Gaza and the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

Dozens of archaeological sites in Afghanistan have been bulldozed to allow systematic looting, according to researchers. Ancient settlements dating back to the Late Bronze Age and Iron Age – some earlier than 1000BC – are among those they say have been damaged.

Despite it being a popular method, Apple has advised iPhone users not to dry their device in a bag of rice. The tech giant says doing so could allow small particles of grain to damage the phone.

 Watch out for…

 A little bit of (potential) space history as the first privately owned spacecraft, called the Nova-C Odysseus lander, attempts to land on the Moon. The craft is currently in lunar orbit and will try to land on the Moon’s south pole region at 10.49pm UK time today.  

 Thoughts for the day

 The Trident missile failure is a warning about the state of UK defence. A nuclear deterrent is only effective if it works, argues Hamish de Bretton-Gordon.

Prince William is throwing the royal rule book out the window. He is prepared to step outside his ceremonial role to say what he thinks, writes Simon Kelner.

My 10-year-old daughter has turned on me and I’m devastated. I wasn’t prepared for how much it would hurt, reveals Julie Cook.

Culture Break

 Ewen MacIntosh took a Scotch egg and made The Office’s Big Keith a comedy icon. Character actors like him – who can be so funny with so few lines – are the backbone of British comedy, writes Tom Nicholson.

The Big Read

 ‘Childcare will cost us an extra £4,000 a year because of ‘free’ hours rollout.’‘We’re not actually going to save any money with the new childcare scheme because of the nursery putting the costs up,’ one mother told i.

Sport

 Arsenal’s Champions League curse comes back to haunt them against Porto . The result leaves the Gunners with work to do if they are to qualify for the quarter-finals having failed to register a single shot on target, writes Oliver Young-Myles.

Something to brighten your day

 More than half of the UK companies that took part in the world’s biggest ever four-day working week trial have made the policy permanent, with bosses saying the move had a positive impact on their organisation . A study found that of the 61 firms which took part in a six-month pilot, 89% are still operating the policy one year later, and 51% made the change permanent. Nearly all staff said their personal life had benefited, 86% said they performed better at work and 24% said it had helped with caring responsibilities.