US Senator Chris Murphy spends 14 hours trying to force vote on tighter gun controls

A US Senator today ended a 14-hour filibuster aimed at forcing a vote on tighter gun controls following the Orlando massacre.

Chris Murphy stood on the Senate floor most of yesterday and into this morning, saying he would remain there “until we get some signal, some sign that we can come together”.

He finally yielded at 2.11am and hailed a commitment from Republican leaders to hold votes on amendments to expand background checks and ban gun sales to suspected terrorists.

His own young sons, aged four and seven, briefly appeared in the Senate gallery nine hours into the filibuster, a tactic used to block proceedings.

“I hope you’ll understand some day why we’re doing this,” Mr Murphy said, addressing his oldest son from the floor. “Trying and trying and trying to do the right thing is ultimately just as important as getting the outcome in the end.”

Mr Murphy is a Democrat from Connecticut, where 26 people died in a shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012.