MPs were tied today as an amendment by Hillary Benn MP on whether to have another round of indicative votes on Brexit for MPs to find a way through for Brexit was tied at 310 votes for, 310 against.
House of Commons Speaker John Bercow used a casting vote after the first House of Commons tie in 26 years of politics to block the backbench motion.
Bercow said that in accordance with precedence, and with the principle that important votes should not be taken except by a majority, he would vote against the motion.
As Prime Minister Theresa May invited the Leader of the Opposition Jeremy Corbyn for talks on a compromise Brexit deal that could allow Brexit to pass through parliament with a majority of MPs supporting it, MPs tried to sieze control again of averting a worst-case scenario of a no-deal Brexit.
Two rounds of voting on indicative votes on Brexit options have already failed to produce a majority for an alternative to Theresa May’s deal with the EU, though a People’s Vote and Customs Union had more support. Most MPs voted against a No-Deal Bresit too.
But that came a step closer today as MPs were tied over whether parliament shoudl make time for a compromise set of votes on Monday again, which now won’t happen.
Though, paradoxically, a bill on Wednesday that aims to take a no-deal Brexit off the table, and could pass the House of Commons in one day.