MPs broke out into laughter moments after voting to extend British air strikes into Syria, sparking outrage on social media.

The light-hearted moment came in response to a joke by the House of Commons Speaker and was not related to the conflict, but many viewers watching the culmination of the 11-hour debate missed the transition.

“Not only have innocent people been condemned to die, but the MPs are laughing about it,” one person wrote, while another said they were “sickened”.

John Bercow read out the result of the historic vote in a solemn silence to MPs packed in the House of Commons chamber.

Politicians lined benches and stood with their hands clasped as the Speaker announced victory for the Government by 397 votes to 223.

“Order, we come now to the petition…” he continued, joking about the prospect of further Parliamentary business following 11 hours of debate.

Mr Bercow grinned as some MPs broke into relieved laughter before finally leaving the chamber.

Craig Stone shared a photo of the Speaker on Twitter, writing: “Air strikes approved, and the house erupts into laughter. Stay classy, politics.”

We asked people why they don’t want to bomb Syria - this is what they said

His tweet has since been shared more than 1,800 times, with commentators writing that the joke had been in “poor taste” and “inappropriate”.

“It frustrates me so much, how do they sleep knowing innocent civilians are going to die,” one person asked.

But many viewers defended MPs and pointed out that the laughter was not directly related to the vote on Syria.

“The Speaker was answering a point of order on a different subject. Don’t let that spoil your indignant rant,” Barry White wrote.

“I guess we don't know what it's like to debate for 12 hours with the tensions involved and then reach an end,” said another Twitter user.

It was not the only moment of levity during the marathon debate. Mr Bercow was also congratulated for spending more than seven hours in his chair by Labour MP Barry Gardiner, who added: “I must admire your bladder”.

In pictures: Syria air strikes (2014) Show all 20 1 /20 In pictures: Syria air strikes (2014) In pictures: Syria air strikes (2014) Syria Syrian citizens check a damaged house that targeted by the coalition airstrikes, in the village of Kfar Derian, a base for the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front, a rival of the Isis group, between the northern province of Aleppo and Idlib In pictures: Syria air strikes (2014) Syria A Syrian boy (L) looking at a destroyed car that activists say was targeted by the coalition airstrikes, in the village of Kfar Derian, a base for the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front, a rival of the Islamic State group, between the northern province of Aleppo and Idlib In pictures: Syria air strikes (2014) Syria Parts of a missile that activists say was fired by coalition airstrikes, in the village of Kfar Derian, a base for the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front, a rival of the Isis group, between the northern province of Aleppo and Idlib In pictures: Syria air strikes (2014) Syria Tthe guided-missile destroyer USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) launching Tomahawk cruise missiles against Isis targets In pictures: Syria air strikes (2014) Syria The USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) launches a Tomahawk cruise missiles in the Red Sea, to conduct strike missions against Isis group targets in Syria In pictures: Syria air strikes (2014) Syria The guided-missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea (CG 58) launching a Tomahawk cruise missile against Isis targets in Syria, as seen from the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) in the Arabian Gulf In pictures: Syria air strikes (2014) Syria US navy sailors standing watch on the bridge while Tomahawk cruise missiles are launched against Isis targets in Syria, aboard the guided-missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea (CG 58), in the Arabian Gulf In pictures: Syria air strikes (2014) Syria An F/A-18C Hornet, attached to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 87 prepares to launch from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) in the Arabian Gulf, to conduct strike missions against Isis group targets AFP/Robert Burck In pictures: Syria air strikes (2014) Syria The US-led airstrikes in Syria against Isis targets in and around the city of Raqqa In pictures: Syria air strikes (2014) Syria A fighter from the Isis group holds a piece of what the IS is saying is a US drone that crashed into a communications tower in the Syrian city of Raqqa In pictures: Syria air strikes (2014) Syria Fighters from the Isis organisation pray at the spot where the jihadist group said a US drone crashed into a communications tower in the Syrian city of Raqqa In pictures: Syria air strikes (2014) Syria Fighters from the Isis group load a van with parts that they said was a US drone that crashed into a communications tower in the Syrian city of Raqqa In pictures: Syria air strikes (2014) Syria Fighters from the Isis group load a van with parts that they said was a US drone that crashed into a communications tower in Raqqa In pictures: Syria air strikes (2014) Syria Fighters from the Isis group gesture as they load a van with parts that they said was a US drone that crashed into a communications tower in Raqqa. A US-led coalition on carried out its first air strikes and missile attacks against jihadist positions in Syria, with Damascus saying it had been informed by Washington before the operation began In pictures: Syria air strikes (2014) Syria A Syrian man rides his bike past a communications tower that was destroyed after a US drone crashed into it, according to fighters with the Isis group, in the Syrian city of Raqqa In pictures: Syria air strikes (2014) Syria People inspect a shop damaged after what Isis militants say was a U.S. drone crashed into a communication station nearby in Raqqa In pictures: Syria air strikes (2014) Syria A man holds the remains of what Isis militants say was a U.S. drone which crashed in Raqqa In pictures: Syria air strikes (2014) Syria Resident gather in the back of a van the remains of what Isis militants say was a drone which crashed in Raqqa In pictures: Syria air strikes (2014) Syria A man inspects the remains of what Isismilitants say was a U.S. drone which crashed into a communication tower in Raqqa In pictures: Syria air strikes (2014) Syria A man inspects the remains of what Isis militants say was a U.S. drone which crashed in Raqqa

Mr Bercow replied: “I'm extremely grateful.”

Tom Tugendhat, the Tory MP for Tonbridge and Malling, added: “May I also give praise to your endurance rather than any other part of your anatomy.”

David Cameron has said MPs took the “right decision to keep the UK safe” after Wednesday night’s vote.

RAF jets and drones were poised to carry out air strikes on the jihadist terror group within hours of the decision.