The Scottish Labour Party Conference has voted for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. The vote  comes ahead of a second crunch Commons vote on a ceasefire on Wednesday next week.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar welcomed the result, saying “I’m proud that Scottish Labour Conference has unanimously passed a motion calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East.”

The full motion also called for the unconditional release of the hostages seized by Hamas and the restoration of essential supplies to Gaza.

A Momentum spokesperson said: “Scottish Labour has today spoken for the whole labour movement and the British public. Every Labour MP has a duty to speak out against the horrific war crimes we are seeing Israel commit in Gaza – and to vote for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza next week. No excuses and no evasions – history will be watching the votes of every Labour MP.”

Meanwhile a Glasgow protest march on Saturday lunchtime, which organisers called against “ongoing genocide” in Gaza, headed to just outside the  Scottish Labour Conference, Labour List reported. The Scottish Trade Unions Congress organised its own bloc at the demonstration. General secretary Roz Foyer highlighted the protest in her speech to the Scottish Labour conference on Friday, saying unions “will not remain silent while genocide is taking place before our very eyes”.

Lat year, Keir Starmer whipped Labour MPs to abstain on a vote for a ceasefire in Gaza – but faced a huge rebellion from backbenchers. Ten Labour frontbenchers and nearly 50 backbenchers defied the Labour whip in November and voted for a Scottish National Party amendment calling for a ceasefire.

Alongside Sarwar, London Mayor Sadiq Khan, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and a number of other Labour Mayors have all diverged from Keir Starmer and called for a ceasefire.

A YouGov poll this week showed two out of three members of the public back an end to the Israeli assault on Gaza and an immediate ceasefire. That rises to over 80% of Labour voters.

Campaigners have called for a lobby of Parliament on Wednesday February 21st to pressurise MPs to support a ceasefire.