The House of Commons is voting this evening (Wednesday 15th) on different motions responding to the war in the Middle East

As MPs in the House of Commons debate the conflict in Israel and Gaza tonight (Wednesday 15th), Enfield Dispatch has approached each of the borough’s three parliamentarians for an indication on how they will vote.

Two different amendments to the King’s Speech are being debated by MPs, with one from Labour and one from the Scottish National Party (SNP).

Labour is demanding “longer humanitarian pauses” to “deliver humanitarian assistance on a scale that begins to meet the desperate needs of the people of Gaza, which is a necessary step to an enduring cessation of fighting as soon as possible”.

The SNP, meanwhile, has gone further by calling on the government “to join with the international community in urgently pressing all parties to agree to an immediate ceasefire”.

Edmonton MP Kate Osamor, a Labour backbencher, said: “Tonight I will be voting for a ceasefire. The massacre of innocent men, women and children must stop and those responsible need to be held to account. A ceasefire is the only way to stop the killing and move towards a lasting peace.”

Enfield North MP Feryal Clark is in the shadow cabinet, but is not in the House of Commons tonight as she is yet to return fully from maternity leave.

Clark has said that while she won’t be voting in person, she supports the amendment put forward by Starmer. In a statement, she said: “As you may be aware, I have recently been on maternity leave and am therefore having a phased return to parliament and will not be in parliament for the vote. I have been paired for the vote, which means that a Conservative MP voting the opposite way to me also won’t attend to vote. This, therefore, will not change the overall result of the vote.”

The Labour MP has also “questioned why our government is not doing more to ensure humanitarian aid is getting into Gaza” and has called on the government “to work with Western regional allies to secure the release of Israeli hostages”.

Enfield Southgate MP Bambos Charalambous, who is currently an independent after losing the Labour whip in June, has not responded to requests for comment from the Dispatch this afternoon. However, he has previously said in his newsletter to constituents: “I believe we need a negotiated ceasefire immediately – to protect innocent civilians.

“The international community has a responsibility to promote this. International law must be upheld. Hostages must be returned to their families. Palestinian civilians need immediate safety from airstrikes.”

The full wording of the two amendments being debated tonight can be read here.

Update (9pm):

Hansard did not record Bambos Charalambous voting for either of the two amendments.

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