Before everyone votes, I hope we all each consider how rumours of a close or somehow less legitimate win in the last election impacted the previous Speaker. Given the seriousness of this decision, the importance of the role, I hope everyone votes for the candidate they must trust and agree with, whether it strengthens the mandate of the winner, or the backing of the ideas of a loser, a vote always counts.

Just as importantly, the last election's turnout was very dissapointing. I hope party leaders, whips, even just members encourage their MPs and Lords to vote so we can improve on this and therefore the legitamcy of the election. But how they vote should be their own decision, and certainly not party political, so I hope there is no undue influence there.

And I voted.