A LABOUR frontbencher and Bradford MP look set to defy Sir Keir Starmer with a pledge to back calls for a ceasefire in Gaza in a crunch House of Commons vote tonight.

Bradford West MP Naz Shah, the shadow minister for crime reduction, broke ranks with her party leader as she confirmed her plans to vote for a Scottish National Party (SNP) amendment to the King's Speech, backing a ceasefire.

Labour frontbenchers are facing the sack if they back the amendment - as Sir Keir bids to avoid a damaging split in his parliamentary party.

Labour MPs have been ordered to abstain on the SNP move and have instead been told to back Sir Keir's position calling for longer "humanitarian pauses" rather than a ceasefire.

Ms Shah said a "humanitarian catastrophe" is taking place in Gaza as she backed calls for an "immediate ceasefire".

She told the Commons earlier: "I will be supporting the amendment which seeks an immediate ceasefire.

"Make no mistake, this is a humanitarian catastrophe which is why I urge members to back an immediate ceasefire on all sides and push for the release of hostages," she said.

Meanwhile, Labour's Bradford East MP Imran Hussain confirmed in the Commons that he would also be backing calls for a ceasefire.

Mr Hussain recently resigned from the Labour frontbench because he was at odds with the party's call for a humanitarian pause.

He told the Commons: "With over 11,000 Palestinian civilians and 1,200 Israelis who have been killed since October 7, and tens of thousands more wounded, it is clear to me, clear to the United Nations and clear to every single aid agency operating on the ground in Gaza that a humanitarian pause just doesn’t do enough and doesn't go far enough."

Mr Hussain added: "The innocent men, women and children of Gaza who are trapped in the never-ending nightmare of conflict which they did not start, and which they have no power to end, do not need a pause, they need it to stop."

Both Labour's amendment and the SNP's one have been selected for a vote this evening by Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle.

Labour's position on the Middle East conflict has led to internal splits, with the leadership backing the UK Government's position of pushing for humanitarian pauses in the fighting to allow aid to reach Palestinians trapped in the bombarded territory - but stopping short of calling for a total cessation of hostilities.