Political Parties and Elections Bill

Let me deal with the ingenious concept that the Justice Secretary has just introduced—that there was a consensus before 2000 that the old triggering arrangements were wonderful and should be retained. Why, then, was there a consensus in the 2000 Act that they should be abolished? He talks about the amendments that Lord Mackay tabled in the other place, but will he acknowledge that they were explicitly described by Lord Mackay as probing amendments and promptly withdrawn?