The Brexit impasse that has consumed Westminster in recent months has reached another level today. A vote by MPs on holding more indicative votes resulted in a direct tie.

310 MPs voted in favour with holding another series of indicative votes on Monday, while 310 voted in opposition.

“In accordance with precedent”, Speaker John Bercow cast his seldom used casting vote in opposition to the motion.

According to Mr Bercow, he did this “on the principle that important decisions should not be taken except by a majority”.

“It is not for the chair to create a majority that doesn’t otherwise exist”, he told the Commons.

He informed MPs that to his recollection, the last time a Speaker’s casting vote was used was in 1993 by Speaker Betty Boothroyd,

Following the resolution of this tie, a motion put forward by Labour’s Yvette Cooper MP was passed by a majority of a single vote.

312 MPs voted to debate forcing PM Theresa May to seek a further extension to Article 50 in order to avoid a no-deal Brexit on April 12, beating the 311 who opposed.