Speaker John Bercow has blocked MPs from holding a third round of votes on Brexit alternatives after the first tied Commons vote in more than 25 years.
A rare tie was returned on a cross-party amendment which sought to pave the way for more votes on alternatives to Theresa May’s troubled deal, with MPs voting 310 to 310.
Bercow said his casting vote, in line with precedent and the fact that important decisions must be taken by a majority, was with the noes – which meant Labour MP Hilary Benn’s amendment was defeated by 311 voted to 310, a majority of one.
But the cross-party group of MPs led by Tory Sir Oliver Letwin did succeed in an historic takeover of parliament to pass laws on Wednesday night. If successful, it will force the prime minister to delay Brexit and stop the UK leaving the EU without a deal.
They won control of the Commons by 312 votes to 311, a majority of just one, and the government now faces the almost unprecedented situation of having legislation forced upon it by the opposition and backbench Tory rebels.
They plan to ram Cooper’s EU (Withdrawal) (No.5) bill through the Commons in one day tonight and also fast-track it through the Lords as quickly as possible, with an emergency European Council summit of EU leaders looming next Wednesday.
Earlier, Bercow said the last time the Commons Speaker cast a vote was in 1993 on the Maastricht Treaty bill which was the subject of a Tory eurosceptic rebellion. Betty Boothroyd cast in favour of the government.