On Tuesday 6 May Stratford-upon-Avon MP Nadhim Zahawi led a special debate in Westminster Hall - Parliament’s secondary debating chamber - to commemorate the 450th anniversary of the birth of William Shakespeare. This debate was the culmination of a week of Shakespeare celebrations, which also included a Prime Minister’s Question asked by Nadhim in iambic pentameter, and a special performance of Henry IV by Stratford schoolchildren in Speaker’s House. In his speech Nadhim highlighted the importance of Shakespeare to the local economy in Stratford, as well as the Bard’s role as a globally recognised British brand. He also drew attention to some of the less well known aspects of Shakespeare’s life, such as his entrepreneurialism. Nadhim ended by calling on the Government to recognise Shakespeare’s birthday officially in the calendar, with the ultimate aim of making April 23 a public holiday. Responding to Nadhim, Ed Vaizey the Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries, paid tribute to the educational outreach work of the RSC and although he refused to be drawn on the bank holiday question, agreed ‘that there is no doubt that we should ensure that more attention is paid to the celebrations of the Bard’s birthday.’ Commenting on the debate Nadhim said: “Heritage tourism is worth a staggering £26.4 billion to the UK economy, theatre is worth at least £2.8 billion. Shakespeare is a major part of that story; he’s worth £355 million to Stratford alone and is responsible for thousands of local jobs. But the Bard is so much more than just an economic asset. He gave the world its best and truest accounts of what it means to be human. For millions of young people, here and around the globe, he is their way in to the greatness of English literature. I’m delighted that the Government has said we to ensure more attention is paid to the Bard’s birthday, and I maintain the best way to do that would be to officially recognise Shakespeare’s birth in the calendar. I will continue to make this case.”