Fixed-term Parliaments Bill

Today is Eid al-Adha, and that is an important factor that should be taken into consideration. At the risk of offending my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh East (Sheila Gilmore) and being too London-centric, there are different times in different parts of this United Kingdom when an election may not be appropriate. Judging by the results, it seems we may have had an election on Hallowe'en on a few occasions, but there are certain days on which demonstrably we should not be doing so. However, by limiting ourselves in this way, by applying this template of centralism to the whole structure, we put ourselves in danger, which is why new clause 4, an elegantly crafted piece of work, which stands by itself in all its wonder and majesty, is something that we should happily support. Clause 2(4), to which the amendments relate, shows the dreadful problems that we have. It states:"““Before issuing a certificate, the Speaker of the House of Commons must consult the Deputy Speakers (so far as practicable)." What thought has gone into this, when it says ““so far as practicable””? The amendment addresses that specific point.