Labour considers backing SNP Gaza ceasefire motion

Labour is considering backing a SNP motion calling for am immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the shadow foreign secretary has said - as the party seeks to avoid being divided on the issue.

David Lammy said he will "scrutinise" the motion ahead of Wednesday's vote.

After Scottish Labour this weekend endorsed a near identical motion, pressure is mounting on party leaders.

Speaking to BBC One's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Mr Lammy said: "We all want to see an end to the fighting, it must stop."

He said it was "abominable" that "over 28,000 people have lost their lives" including women and children.

But he said that any proposal must include a permanent solution to stop the conflict.

"Of course, people want to see a ceasefire, the question now is how. When that ceasefire comes we can't see the fighting restart," he added.

But he said he had not seen the SNP's proposed amendment and was not convinced that the wording being posted online gave detail's of a "sustainable" ceasefire.

On Saturday, Anas Sarwar - the leader of the party in Scotland - described the SNP motion as "perfectly reasonable".

Labour has consistently argued that any ceasefire must be sustainable while yesterday Scottish Labour backed an "immediate" ceasefire at its conference.