Six Labour MPs from the North East yesterday defied a three-line whip to vote backing a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. 

The vote, to support an SNP amendment to the King’s Speech backing a ceasefire as conflict between Palestine and Israel and calling for “all parties to agree to an immediate ceasefire”  was defeated by 168. 

Mary Kelly Foy, the Durham City MP, also quit her role as Parliamentary private secretary over the ceasefire vote, as Keir Starmer faced a rebellion from his front benches. 

Labour has lost a total of eight frontbenchers following the rebellion, including shadow ministers Jess Phillips, Yasmin Qureshi, Afzal Khan and Paula Baker. 

Other frontbenchers Rachel Hopkins, Sarah Owen, Naz Shah and Andy Slaughter have also left the frontbench after breaking the party whip to back the amendment.

In total, 56 Labour MPs voted with the SNP to call for a ceasefire. 

Here are the North East MPs who voted in favour of the SNP's motion. 

  • Julie Elliott, Sunderland Central 
  • Mary Kelly Foy, City of Durham
  • Emma Lewell-Buck, South Shields
  • Ian Mearns, Gateshead
  • Grahame Morris, Easington
  • Kate Osborne, Jarrow

In a statement following the vote, Sir Keir said he regretted that party colleagues had not backed his position.

“Alongside leaders around the world, I have called throughout for adherence to international law, for humanitarian pauses to allow access for aid, food, water, utilities and medicine, and have expressed our concerns at the scale of civilian casualties.

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“Much more needs to be done in this regard to ease the humanitarian crisis that is unfolding in Gaza.

“And in addition to addressing the present, every leader has a duty not to go back to a failed strategy of containment and neglect, but to forge a better and more secure future for both Palestinians and Israelis.

“I regret that some colleagues felt unable to support the position tonight. But I wanted to be clear about where I stood, and where I will stand.”