The jury has been discharged in the Vicky Pryce trial, as it was unable to come to a verdict.

Pryce is accused of perverting the course of justice by taking speeding points for her ex-husband, the former Lib Dem cabinet minister Chris Huhne.

Earlier, the judge had said he would accept a majority [2], rather than a unanimous, verdict.

The jury's questions to the judge, and the judge's clarifications, make for quite lively reading. In answer to a question about whether "religious conviction be a good enough reason for a wife feeling she had no choice" but to obey her husband, Mr Justice Sweeney wrote [3]:

This is not, with respect, a question about this case at all. Vicky Pryce does not say that any such reason formed any part of her decision to do what she did. Answering this question will not help you in any way whatsoever to reach a true verdict in this case. I must direct you firmly to focus on the real issues in this case.”

I want to repeat the absolutely vital importance of your following my directions of law to the letter and the fact that it is an equally important part of each of your individual duties to ensure that all of you do follow my directions of law to the letter.

NS legal correspondent David Allen Green has been discussing on Twitter what happens next:

So acquittal or re-trial for Pryce?#Huhne [4]

— David Allen Green (@DavidAllenGreen) February 20, 2013 [5]

CPS guidance - prosecution usually should seek re-trial when jury discharged: bit.ly/XkLn9F [6] #Huhne [4]

— David Allen Green (@DavidAllenGreen) February 20, 2013 [7]

A retrial has been scheduled for Monday.