After a turbulent few weeks for the Labour Party, Keir Starmer is facing yet another test this week as MPs gear up to vote on an SNP amendment on Gaza.
Just three months after 56 Labour MPs defied a three-line whip to vote with the SNP and ten frontbenchers resigned, it could go either way for the Labour leader.
He could either find himself at the centre of another crisis, with further rebellions and criticism for his stance on the conflict. Or it could be a show of unity, allowing the Labour leader to draw a line under an issue that has caused him multiple headaches.
For months, Starmer has faced criticism for his stance on the conflict, with critics saying he did not go far enough to call for peace.
After a turbulent few weeks, Keir Starmer is facing yet another test this week as MPs gear up to vote on an SNP amendment on Gaza.
PA
The Labour leader skirted around calling for an all-out halt in fighting, demanding "humanitarian pauses" and, later, a "sustainable" ceasefire.
His line on the conflict, which has generally mirrored that taken by Rishi Sunak, has drawn criticism - most of which was from within his own party.
But over the weekend, the Labour leader firmed up his stance on the conflict, saying a ceasefire that lasts “must happen now” between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
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Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy has said the Labour Party will examine the SNP motion before making a decision on how it will tell its MPs to vote.
But notably, Starmer stopped short of throwing his weight behind the Scottish Labour Party's stance, which passed a motion calling for an "immediate ceasefire" in Gaza.
While his clearer position on the issue may win over some critics, there is still a lot of room for division.
On the one hand, he could face criticism for "flip-flopping" - an attack line regularly levelled at the Labour leader. Given he previously dismissed a ceasefire for fear it would "embolden Hamas", the Labour leader must be prepared to show his working for the adjustment in position.
But another concern for Starmer this week should be Anas Sarwar's suggestion that he is willing to work with the SNP - something which should be ringing alarm bells for Starmer.
Describing the party's upcoming motion as "pretty decent", the Scottish Labour Leader said: "If we can send a unified message from the UK parliament, then we should take that opportunity and I hope people will engage in good faith in trying to find that unified position."
It's important to remember the position of Scottish Labour has already been agreed upon - so Starmer must meet them where they are, or choose to diverge.
While Sarwar's comments were about unity, if Starmer chooses to diverge from the position of his Scottish counterparts, it opens up the possibility of Sarwar collaborating with the SNP without Starmer's approval - which would expose a gaping rift in the Labour Party north and south of the border.
